Winds of Change
by ViperStratusfaction
Summary: Trish stratus retired from the WWE to start a new chapter in her life.  Five years later, she makes her full time return, but quickly learns how much has changed, especially people!  Trish rediscovers herself, with some help from a suprising individual.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

She nervously tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead at the building in front of her. She had been sitting in the car, parked for over an hour now and was having the hardest time pulling herself from the vehicle. If she went inside, she knew she was admitting to the problems that drove her here in the first place. It had been a little over 5 years since she officially left the WWE. Granted, she did some special appearances here and there and she worked as a trainer on Tough Enough, but it wasn't a full time return.

To say she didn't miss it was an understatement. She missed the fans, she missed her friends and she missed entertaining people. What she didn't miss was the 250 days of traveling, not being able to see her family or loved ones, and the hell she put her body through. It's amazing though how easy it was for her and Ron to stay together through it all. It's uncommon for wrestlers to maintain healthy relationships when being on the road constantly. But they seemed to find a way to make it through. So how did they make it work for the 6 years she was in the WWE and how did it all fall apart so quickly once they said their vows?

Truth be told, it hadn't fallen apart just yet, but they were on the verge. It seemed as though all the troubles started when she signed up to train on Tough Enough. Ron never seemed to have a problem with her fame before, and though he never came out and said he did, she felt as though he was jealous of her stardom. Maybe he was hoping she would leave it all behind…every last bit of it and never look back. But that's not the way Trish was wired. So, it was a mutual decision for her to go back to the WWE. They both realize things were not working out. Maybe some space between the two of them was exactly what they needed to realize exactly what they're without.

She had contacted Vince the night before and when he agreed to work a contract, she took the first flight out. The contract was to only be a one year contract, with a possibility of it turning into more, though the optimist in her was hoping that would not happen. So why was she feeling all this uncertainty to walk in the building and go back to the days she loved? Because things change, and people change. She's seen so many friends come and go in this sport. Some messed up on steroids or pain killers, some turned to alcohol, and others merely trying to keep a family together. She's watched her friends cheat on their husbands and their wives. She's also seen death come as well. Sure, some of the wrestlers left to make it big, and some have. But now, she looks at the current roster and is in awe of the few remaining comrades she once performed with.

The Smackdown brand did have a few superstars that she had worked with in the past, but hardly any of them were good friends of hers. Other than Jason, Mark, and Booker, the other remaining superstars kept more to themselves. There of course was Randy as well. The two of them were never really close, but were always friendly and respectful with each other. And the Raw brand had even less familiar faces. Other than Hunter, Rey, Nick, and John, there were so many new faces on the roster. She couldn't lie about being excited to see John and Nick again though. The two of them both have this uncanny way about making her laugh. She really misses joking around with them.

She wasn't sure what brand Vince was going to put her on and to be honest, she wasn't sure it would make a huge difference. One thing she did know, it would be quite a shock when she would make her appearance. As the deal was such a last minute decision, none of the wrestling tabloids even had the slightest clue she was coming back. No one really did for that matter.

She took a deep breathe and opened the car door. As she walked into the arena, she was overtaken by a sense of nostalgia. It was as if she had never left. Walking down the halls to find where Vince had set up shop, everyone was busy preparing for the night's show. The audio and video techs were wheeling in all the equipment, she could see the ring being set up from afar, and she could smell the catered food set up in the make-shift cafeteria. The only thing missing were her old friends. She passed a few of the divas on her way. As she kept her attention forward, she heard some muted whispers and quick looks. _Yes, that's right ladies, I'm back. I'm back to save the women's division._

After about ten more minutes of wandering around, she found Vince's office. After knocking twice she heard Vince summon her in.

"Trish! How's everything been" he asked as he embraced her in a hug.

She sighed, "Good, but very busy". She knew Vince wasn't buying her act.

"I was actually very surprised to hear from you. I never thought I'd see the day where YOU ask ME to come back. I was getting too used to calling you for favors."

Trish laughed, "Well, I figure with all the favors I've given, you could help a girl out."

Vince nodded, he could tell something was bothering her but he wasn't one to pry. He didn't need to know her reason behind her return. All he wanted was a guarantee that she wasn't going to cut out half way through the contract.

"Have a seat please. So, what were you thinking in regards to the contract?"

Trish nervously fidgeted, "Well, I was thinking a year contract to start…with negotiation for longer once we get closer to the end of the year?"

Vince nodded slowly, she could tell he had something brewing in that brain of his. "Trish, let's be honest with each other. We've known each other a long time. I don't know what your reasoning is for coming back, and I'm not going to question it, but I almost feel like you don't really want this. So let's try this instead…We'll start you with a year contract, after the year is up, you can decide to do what you will. But if staying is what you decide, be ready to negotiate a longer term than just a year. You know I usually like to keep the contracts for a 3 to 5 year term so that I'm not going through negotiations every year."

Trish breathed a slight sigh of relief. So many thoughts were running through her brain at that moment. If things worked out with Ron, there was no way she would want to stay longer than a year, however, if they didn't, there was no way she could go home. But it seemed as though Vince read her mind. Obviously, he knew something was up, but wanted to help her in any way he could.

"Deal…where do I sign and what brand am I going to be with?"

Vince chuckled, "I'm glad you asked…you're going to be appearing on both brands for right now, though once things settle down, Smackdown will be your home. Coming up, we have a live tour that Kmart is sponsoring. It begins on November 30th so you'll be touring with Smackdown. But as for the regular Raw and Smackdown tapings, you should hopefully be able to make all of those. Currently Randy and Stu, as well as Beth and Natalie are doing that as well as some of the others and the ratings have really started improving."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Trish couldn't have been happier with the turn-out of her meeting with Vince. Though, she would have preferred to work only one brand, she can't really complain. It will mean more traveling, but it's a welcomed distraction. Regardless, there really isn't enough competition that can keep up with Trish on one show. This way, she can have the best of the competitors. She starts on RAW after Survivor Series and the storyline is that she's back and she wants her belt. Of course, the fans will be so excited that she's back, it would be extremely hard to come back as a heel, so she's set to be a face. It didn't matter how she came back, she just hoped she could hold her own in the ring. But after looking at the competition, it shouldn't be too hard. The only thing these girls have on her is age. The divas have turned into more of a modeling cat fight than actual female wrestlers. Hopefully by getting in the ring with these women, they can actually learn a few things.

"Hey honey, it's me. I was hoping to catch you before you went to the site, but I must've missed you. Anyway, call me back when you get this. Vince negotiated a year contract with me. I'll tell you all about it when we talk later. Love you." Trish ended the call and spun around to notice a long missed friend.

"Well, my eyes must be deceiving me….cause there is NO WAY Trish Stratus is standing in front of me! Brunette and all!"

Trish giggled and ran right into the open arms. "Dwayne! It's so good to see you! How have you been? God, it's been years!"

He lifted her into a hug, "Yes, it has been years…way too long! I see you're finally representing your Greek heritage and ditching the blonde! And congratulations on getting married…I'm still upset I couldn't make the wedding. It looked like a great time! So how many years you working on now?"

He put her down and she nodded, "Well, a little over 5 years, but who's counting? Want to go catch up somewhere?"

He grabbed her by the hand and led her towards the empty arena, "I thought you'd never ask."

"I heard you would be gracing Boston with your presence. So I'm not going to lie, I was very hopeful that I would run into you. So can you catch me up in an hour or less?" Trish asked, opening a bottle of water and taking a sip.

Dwayne laughed, "I'm not going to lie, you were the last person I expected to see. John didn't mention you were going to be here. I'll have to knock him for that one."

She shook her head, "No, John doesn't know I'm here. No one does really. It was an extremely last minute decision."

Dwayne looked at her inquiringly, "So why so last minute? And why come back? I thought you had this new yoga studio you've been promoting…"

Trish looked down, her eyes were starting to water. _Pull it together Trish…you can't break down in tears any time you tell people the reason your back! _"Well, Ron and I have been having some problems lately…serious problems. It's like we fight all the time. The only time we get along with each other is when we are at work it seems. So, I just thought back to the years when I was here and realized how perfect we were during those times….anyway, we both agreed that we needed some space. So, I decided to come back here for a year and maybe we can work through everything."

Dwayne nodded, "Well, I'm sorry to hear that Trish. I'm not a marriage counselor by any means, I mean, obviously not…considering me and Dany didn't seem to work out either. But from what you're telling me, do you think the reason why you're fighting so much is because you aren't used to spending so much time with each other? I mean, you made your relationship work based off of seeing each other maybe 5 times a month. And now you're with each other every day for about 16 hours a day."

Trish sat there, taking in everything he said. He had a point. It seems to make sense. They weren't used to spending that much time together. And granted, things were great for the first year or two. But maybe that was simply because it was new. It was new to be able to spend that much time with each other. And now, they were used to each other and almost getting sick of one another. "So can I ask what happened with you and Dany?"

Dwayne smiled, "Once I left the WWE, the movie roles started rolling in. I was jet setting all over the place to film. And granted it was very similar to the life we already knew. And we were good at making it work. However, it was such a job to make it work. It became a monotonous routine…to the point where we felt like robots. And slowly, any passion, any spontaneity, just faded away. We still loved each other, but the big things you crave for in a person were gone. And the physicality of our relationship was left in the past. That was when we realized things weren't working out. I mean, we never fought, but it was like I was raising my children with my best friend…not my lover."

"I wish you were back for good…there are few good ones remaining." Trish sighed, "Maybe this was a mistake. I'm 36 years old, competing with 25 year olds. What the hell am I thinking?"

Dwayne wrapped his arm around Trish's shoulder and pulled her into a one armed hug "This is not a mistake…you are doing what you love. And for the record, you can kick any of the 25 year olds candy asses!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Half way through Raw that night, Trish left for the airport to head home for a few days before getting back full swing into things. After her and Dwayne spent what felt like hours catching up, she ran into Cena and hung out with him for the remainder of her time. Vince said he was going to call a diva meeting after Raw to announce her return, so by now, all the divas on Raw should know Trish is returning. The Smackdown divas know most likely too…gossip travels quick around here.

Her schedule was going to be hectic, so on the flight home, she made sure to write down all dates in her organizer. Originally, she thought she would be coming back on the Raw after Survivor Series, but no diva matches were set for that night. Instead, she is to start on the Smackdown after Survivor Series. Natalya and Beth Phoenix have a match against AJ and Kaitlyn. After the match ends, Natalya and Beth continue the beat down on AJ and Kaitlyn and Trish is to come out and make the save.

As her flight touched down in Toronto, she was nervous to go home and see Ron. He never returned her call from earlier that day. She hoped the reason was because he had to work late, but she had her doubts. Her worst fear was that he was avoiding her. As much as she would have just rather stayed on the road, she knew she had to come home. None of her family knew of the current developments and she needed to tell her parents face to face. Her parents both knew she and Ron were having issues, but they had no clue that she has decided to go back to the WWE on a full time basis.

As she pulled into the driveway, she saw that the lights were on and she knew Ron was home. She took a deep breath as she walked in and found him in the living room watching TV.

"Hey" she said lightly as she sat down next to him on the couch, "I called earlier today…I was hoping you'd call me back."

He looked over at her, his face somewhat expressionless, "Yea, I'm sorry about that, I was running late at work and by the time I could call you back, I assumed you were already on your flight home. So what's the verdict?"

Trish settled into the couch "Well, we worked out a year's contract…and Vince thought it was best for me to be on both brands."

Ron sighed and gave a slight roll of the eyes, "So you'll be traveling even more than we assumed."

"Well, yes, it will be more than the other wrestlers, but I thought we had agreed that space was what we needed?"

She was so confused, she thought he would be happy that she got the opportunity to work on both Smackdown and Raw.

"Trish, I agreed we needed space…meaning that I would still get to see you one or two days a week. Christ, now I'll be lucky if I get to see you once a month!"

Trish sat stunned, she wasn't sure where the two of them had a disconnect…regardless of what brand she would be on, she still wouldn't be flying home that often.

"Ron, you know how much traveling this job requires…regardless of the brand that I'm on. If it's that important to you, I'll see if Vince can put me on only one brand…maybe I can suggest that after the pay per view event on the 18th…"

"Yes, it is important to me…promise me you'll talk to him about it."

Trish nodded, "Yes, I promise honey, I'll talk to him first thing on Tuesday." She pulled him in for a hug and gave him a kiss. "I'm going to go take a shower, I'm exhausted. Good night."

As she carried her bag upstairs, she had so many emotions running through her…regret, sadness, anger, confusion, and above all, irritation.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Trish arrived early in Wilkes-Barre and had two things in mind. First, to find a quiet place in the arena to get in some yoga. And two, grab some food once she was done. When she arrived at the arena, there weren't many wrestlers around. The stage crew was setting up the stage, along with sound and video crews. Finding the empty nook she was hoping to find, she settled in for a 2 hour yoga routine.

After finishing yoga, she walked down the hall, headed to the cafe, hopeful she would find someone that she knew to eat with. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single person that she recognized. As she grabbed a salad and walked over to an open table, a lot of wrestlers nodded and gave her kind hellos. None of the divas were around, which she thought to be strange, but she had heard there was drama in that department as of recently. She really didn't mind anyway. The only diva she really knew was Layla, and she was out with an injury. She had worked with Beth before, but only for one night. So it's not like they were good friends or anything.

"Well, well, well, I guess the rumors were true!" Trish looked up as she heard a familiar, yet deep sexy voice.

"Hi Randy", she said politely.

He sat down across from her with a smirk on his face. He was dressed casual in navy adidas pants and a grey t-shirt. His eyes were as blue as she remembered them to be.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you were back full time! I thought you'd be popping out baby's left and right by now. I must say though, you have all the divas stirred up! It's actually quite entertaining…"

She chuckled slightly; it was nice to hear that the divas were concerned about her return. "Looks like you've grown up a little since I've last seen you", she said, picking through her salad, glancing up slightly to see his reaction.

Back before she retired, Randy had quite the reputation for being a male pig. If he wasn't demeaning the "ring rats", he was demeaning the divas. He was cocky and arrogant, and rightfully so. He was the youngest man to ever win the WWE Championship belt. And his good looks had all the ladies falling at his feet…until he spoke anyway. She only had gotten to work with Randy on a few matches, so their paths never really crossed very much. But he never disrespected her, or even spoke down to her. He always treated her with the respect she deserved, so she returned the favor likewise, however their conversations were never really more than small talk.

"Yes, Trish, I have grown up since you've last seen me. That part of my life is over and I can full heartedly say that yes, I was a punk. And I still can't believe no one beat my ass to put me in my place."

Trish laughed, probably the most free-hearted laugh she's let out in a long time. "Yea, I can honestly say I knew about 5 guys that wanted to punch you in the face, but beings that you were so pretty, they knew better. Vince would have killed them if they ruined your face, considering the ratio of women interested in wrestling about doubled when you came around."

Both of them let out a little chuckle.

"So, why are you eating all alone here? Everyone you know is pretty much gone huh?"

Trish looked around, letting the nostalgia of the past catch up with her yet again. "Yea, it's really different around here. I can honestly say I know like 3 people on the active roster."

He nodded, "It's been a long time Trish. You've been gone for what, like 5 years now?"

"Yup, give or take."

Randy paused for a long second, a quizzical look coming over his features, "So, why come back?"

She shrugged. There was no way she was going to let him in on the main reason that brought her back here. Though it appears as though he had grown up considerably since she last saw him, she wasn't about to give him personal details about herself, even if he was in fact one of the only people she knew. So she lied…somewhat.

"I missed it all. I mean, it was nice getting to relax and not travel every day. It was nice letting my body recover instead of pushing it to its limit, but I got bored. I mean, even opening the yoga studio, something was still missing. I think that something was the spotlight and travelling."

"Yo, Randy, you coming or what?"

Both Randy and Trish turned their attention to Ted DiBiase who waited by impatiently.

Randy turned back to Trish hesitantly, almost as if he didn't want to end their conversation. "Yea man, I'm coming."

Randy turned back to Trish, "I hate to cut this short, but we're gonna hit the gym for a bit."

Trish nodded, "I was just getting ready to find April, Natalie, Celeste, and Beth."

Ted walked over, "Forgive my friend's terrible manners. I'm Ted."

Trish smiled, "Hi, Ted, I'm-" "I know who you are Trish…pretty much everybody does. And most of the guys probably have had a crush on you at one point in time or another."

Trish blushed and laughed, "Well then, it's nice to officially meet you."

Randy rose from his seat, "I'll catch up with you later on. See ya Trish."

Trish nodded, a little surprised with his last statement "Yea, sounds good. Bye Randy."

As he walked away, she couldn't help but check him out. She was amazed at how mature he'd become. He was always built very nicely, but now he seemed to be more defined, not quite as boyish as she used to remember him as. He seemed to be a completely different person, someone whom she could see being good friends with. Though she was still cautious, she decided to have an open mind with Randy.

_Let's see how different he truly is…_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Great job out there Trish", April said as they walked backstage, "The crowd went crazy when you came out!"

Trish smiled, it was nice knowing that the fans didn't forget about her.

"When you announced that you were back and ready to take the title back, it was deafening!"

Trish smiled, she was actually very excited about the storyline creative came up with for them. Trish had announced that night that she was after the Diva belt and her next goal was to dismantle the Divas of Doom. She wasn't sure if the belt was set to return to her, but she really didn't care. Though, it would be nice to extend her records.

She also saw a lot of potential in April. With Celeste turning heel soon, she assumed she'd be working a few tag matches with her. April was slightly reminiscent of Lita in the sense that she can pull some high flyer moves. With a little practice on her moves, she could really excel. And Trish was very anxious to help April out with those moves.

As they walked toward the diva's dressing room, she heard her name being called from behind.

"Hey, Trish…"

She turned around to find Randy walking towards her. She looked at April who decided to give them privacy, "I'll see you later." Trish smiled and nodded. She turned back to Randy.

"Nice entrance there. I can honestly say, the entire arena was surprised."

She smiled, "Yea, they were…it felt good. I'm excited to get into this storyline. So, is your matchup soon?"

He nodded, "Yea, in about a half hour. So, you doing anything after the show tonight?"

"Um, I don't think so. I was just going to head back to my room."

An unsatisfied look came over Randy's face "What? Oh come on! It's your first night back! You should celebrate a little!"

"I just don't really feel like going out to some huge club, let alone have to scream to talk to people. Though I love clubs, I'm just not feeling it tonight. Plus I didn't really pack clubbing clothes."

Randy rolled his eyes, "Wow the excuses! First, who said I was going to a club? And second, who said I was going to be with a huge group of people? I go to a club maybe twice a year."

"Ok, so what did you have in mind?"

Randy laughed, "Honestly, there is this dive bar down the road that has decent food. I was going to see if you wanted to join me for a bite and maybe a drink or two."

Trish thought about it for a minute, "Ok. I'll join you. My flight doesn't leave until around noon tomorrow anyway. Anyone else coming?"

Randy shook his head and smiled, "Nope, just you and me."

Trish returned the smile and noticed a warm inviting feeling coming from Randy. It was scary how much he'd changed.

"Ok, I'll wait outside your dressing room after your match. Good luck."

Randy smirked, "I don't need luck!"

She laughed, "See, you really haven't changed that much!"

While waiting for Randy, Trish was able to shower and get into some sort of order to go out in public. She picked up her phone to check for messages. She had really hoped that Ron had tried to call her but as there were no missed calls, she realized that he hadn't. She decided to give him a call before it got too late. After a few dial tones he answered the phone

"Hey you! How was your first night back officially?"

Trish was shocked. He obviously was not happy the other night about her contract, and now, he sounds like a completely different person.

"It went really good. The crowd was really into it. And I got to talk more with creative about the storyline. I think it's going to be a good one. How are things back home?"

"Things are good. Busy with work and such. A little dramatic too though…"

Trish frowned, "What drama? What happened?"

There was a slight hesitation on the other end of the phone, then Ron continued, "Well, you forgot to mention to me that you never mentioned your WWE return to your family. Your mom called earlier today and I accidentally let the cat out of the bag."

Trish cringed; she didn't think her mother would try the house number since she was away visiting some friends. She was planning on breaking the news when she got home. She thought she'd be safe since Smackdown doesn't air until Friday night.

"Yea, I didn't expect her to call. I was planning on telling them this weekend." She sighed, "I'll stop over and see her as soon as I land tomorrow."

"I'm really sorry Baby….I just assumed you would have said something." Ron said, feeling terrible for the slip up.

Trish shook her head, "No, it's not your fault. I should have said something. Anyway, my flight leaves at 12:10 tomorrow afternoon. I'll touch down in Toronto around 4 so I'll run by her place after that. I'm going to get going though honey. I'm trying to get out of here to grab a bite to eat before it get's too late."

"Ok," was his response, "Give me a call before your flight takes off tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you too", she said and hung up. _That call went way better than I thought it was going to…_

As she walked out of the divas locker room, she found Randy waiting.

"I was just coming to find you" she said.

He was leaning against the wall. He had jeans on with a worn black thermal shirt.

He smiled, "You women take forever I swear!"

He picked up her bag for her as they headed towards the arena exit.

"Shut up, don't give me any crap! It takes some time to look this good!"

He laughed, "Maybe for you it does…"

She slapped his arm and laughed. "So where's this bar at?"


	6. Chapter 6

If you guys are enjoying the story, please review! I'm not sure if anyone is interested in a Randy/Trish love story anymore haha!

Chapter 6

"I can't believe the name of this bar is literally 'Dive Bar'!" exclaimed Trish as they took a seat at the bar.

"Yea, what's even better is it's the furthest thing from a dive."

Both of them picked up a menu and started looking through the options. The bartender quickly came over towards them, "Hey Randy! Haven't seen you in awhile…I thought you forgot about us!" she said. She was an attractive blonde, tall, nice build, probably around mid twenties Trish thought.

"Hey Arielle, how's it going girl? How could I ever forget about you guys!" Randy responded, blushing slightly.

He looked over at Trish and felt the need to explain, "I've been coming to this place every time we stop in Wilkes-Barre. I just stumbled upon it one night and liked it so much I made it my local spot when I'm in town."

Arielle looked at Trish, "It's really awesome to get to meet you Trish…I'm a huge fan! It's a shame you retired."

"Thanks, that's really nice of you to say and you may be in for a slight surprise then! Make sure you watch Smackdown this Friday."

Arielle nodded, slightly blushing, "So what can I get you both?"

Five minutes later, Arielle returned with two Miller Lites and took Randy and Trish's order.

"So, I still can't believe you're back." Randy said, taking a sip of his beer.

Trish chuckled, "Yea, I'm still having a hard time believing it too!"

"No, I just never thought you'd come back for a full out return. I mean, when I look at your career, you were so driven, so serious about being the best and achieving everything you possibly could. Then towards the end, you seemed more interested in getting out of wrestling, starting a new chapter in your life…I'm just baffled I guess."

Trish looked down, eagerly wanting to change the subject of why she was back.

"What about you? You have a family now. You don't ever think about getting out of it to spend more time with your little girl?"

Randy looked at her for a long second before responding, "I considered it briefly. I love Alanna so much and it's the hardest thing in the world to not get to see her all the time. I'm missing her growing up essentially. I miss Sam too…so much. You know, a lot of people thought I married her just to try and change my bad image that I had. But honestly, she's the one that turned me into the man I am today. I married her because there was no one else I could ever imagine spending the rest of my life with. So yes, for a brief moment…and every now and again, I think about leaving. But then how would I support them? I want to provide the best life I can for them both and I know deep down inside this is the way to do it. I saw my grandfather successfully do it, I watched my dad do it. I can do it too. It's just in our blood."

Arielle interrupted their conversation, bringing their food over and refreshing their beers. "Here you are…need anything else from me?" she asked.

"Thanks A. It looks great! I think we're good," Randy said, abruptly standing; "Now I think we need some music!"

Trish had been staring at her food since Arielle brought it over. After hearing Randy open up to her, she was considering telling him the reason why she's back. She nervously played with her food as Randy came back to the bar.

"I haven't been fully honest with you about why I'm back."

Randy looked up surprised and concerned all at the same time. He waited for her to continue.

"I'm not really bored…I mean, I do miss the spotlight, but that wasn't my main reasoning for returning. Ron and I have been having some serious issues lately. We decided we needed some space and both agreed on how good our relationship was back when I was with the WWE. So we both thought me coming back would be a way to get some space."

"And has it been helping?"

She looked at him, a few tears pooling in her eyes, "I mean, it's still early, but honestly, no…I don't think it's going to help. I guess I'm a bit of a pessimist. I just don't know what's going through his brain. I swear he's bipolar at times. Like one minute he's fine with my return, and the next he's furious about it. I guess if I had to try and determine what his problem is, it's probably that I can't seem to fully get away from wrestling."

He pulled her into a hug. It felt so nice to feel human interaction. Her and Ron barely touched each other anymore, let alone hug. Randy was at a loss for words, here was a woman, that he barely knew, in the verge of tears in his arms, opening up to him in a way no other female other than Sam has before. It was like the two of them had an instant connection. Of course he had close relationships with some of the guys, but he's never really had a great friendship with a woman. And to say he didn't like it was an understatement. He was actually looking forward to the thought of developing a great friendship with Trish. Just then Trish interrupted his thoughts "How many Pantera songs did you play exactly?"

Randy started laughing, "I don't know…a few I suppose. I played other songs too you know!"

Trish rolled her eyes and reached for her purse, "Let me guess…Metallica?"

She hopped off the bar stool and headed over to the jukebox with Randy close in tow.

"Hey, I don't only listen to Pantera you know. I'll have you know I have a great mix of songs coming up next!"

"I'm so sure…don't worry, I'll mix things up a bit."

One hour and 4 drinks later, Trish and Randy had talked about everything ranging from sports, to music, to family, to WWE gossip, to workout routines.

"So, are you excited to go home for Thanksgiving?"

Trish gave him an expectant look for a second or two, "Um…yea, Canada doesn't really celebrate the US holiday known as Thanksgiving…"

Randy's face instantly turned red, "Uh….yea…right, I'm an idiot."

Trish laughed, "Ok, you're not totally an idiot. Before, we used to celebrate the US Thanksgiving simply because WWE never gave time off for the Canadian one. So, my family decided to celebrate the US holiday instead. But since I retired, we moved back to celebrating the Canadian Thanksgiving."

Randy looked confused, "But….you're back now, so does that mean you're celebrating the US holiday again?"

Trish avoided Randy's eye contact, "Well…I haven't exactly told my family that I'm back just yet…"

Randy's eyes grew wide, "So when are you going to tell them?"

"Well, they kinda found out already, so I have a huge mess to clean up this weekend."

"Ouch!"

As they chuckled over Trish's predicament, a new song came on the jukebox. Randy lit up.

"Ok, here's a good song…and I promise it's not Pantera. But I'm pulling you onto the dance floor!"

Just then Randy pulled Trish off her stool, across the floor, and into his arms.

"Orton, what is this song?"

"John Legend, believe it or not…Yes, I have some grooves in me! Actually, I love this song…when Sam and I have a fight, I always put this song on to lighten the mood."

As they slow danced to the song, Randy started singing some of the lyrics to Trish.

'_Can we wait just a minute, Slow it down for a minute now baby, Your talkin loud, Your wilding out, Don't seem like my old lady, Lets go and play the song we used to play, Can we reignite the flame, Cause things just ain't the same, We can talk about the baby, We can talk until we're crazy, We can focus on it now, Or we can focus on it later, We can start another fight, We can argue and fuss all night, But I propose that we go to the floor and we slow dance.'_

She giggled lightly as he sang to her. _Of course, he's a good singer too…is there anything he isn't good at? _He had her pulled in very close into him. Due to the height differences between them, his chin rested slightly to the right of the tip of her head.

"What is the name of this song?"

Trish allowed herself to slip into the melody of the song, her body moving in beat with his.

"It's called Slowdance. You should sing it to your man this weekend."

She sighed, "I'm not thinking this will help our cause but I really love this song!"

As the song continued, both of them got lost in the music. Randy pulled her even closer into him. She could feel every inch of his hard body. And though Trish would never consider cheating on Ron, she couldn't deny that she had a different, yet strong, attraction to Randy. Her heart was pounding in her chest and not because of sheer exertion, but because she had a sense of butterflies in her stomach.

In her head she knew this wasn't a good thing. Though, she couldn't remember the last time she ever felt this way. She's been with Ron for over 15 years. He was the first and only man to give her that nervous, butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. But when you're with someone for so many years, the butterflies always tend to disappear. Of course men have tried in the past to hit on her, but she was very much aware of their advances and not interested. But this was different; Randy wasn't hitting on her or throwing himself on her whatsoever. They were simply interacting with each other in a friendly manner.

Though she didn't know why she was having this feeling, she chalked it up to the fact that Randy was an attractive guy…but she couldn't deny the fact that this feeling scared the crap out of her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Ladies and Gentleman, at this time please turn off all electronic equipment and return your seat to its upright and locked position and prepare for landing."

Trish jumped at the announcement and slowly pulled herself from her nap. Her head was still pounding from her three day vacation. She pulled out another round of Ibuprofen from her purse and let the two pills slip down her throat while finishing her water. Needless to say, her small vacation didn't go the way she had hoped. Touching down in Florida was actually a much needed and welcomed escape from reality, though she knew these next three weeks were going to be tough from a schedule perspective.

She thought back through all the arguments that occurred this weekend. The first argument started with her mother early Wednesday evening. She knew her mother would be angry with Trish not telling her the huge news of joining the WWE full time again. Though, once she was finished yelling, Trish calmed her down by talking about the problems between her and Ron. And her mother was well aware that the two of them were having issues, but she didn't think them to be as serious as they actually were. From that point forth, she was more sympathetic. She also insisted on pulling the family together for a dinner Thursday night, as she realized Trish would be absent for future ones due to her traveling.

By the time Trish got home from her mothers, it was near 8 PM. And unfortunately, the arguments didn't stop there. When she got home, she informed Ron about the conversation between her and her mother. Everything was fine until she mentioned telling her about their problems. He instantaneously blew up at her. He was so angry that she was airing their issues to people who had no right to know about them. Well, then of course, Trish fought back against his statement. She was so close with her mother and tells her everything. So Trish didn't see it that way. Family should have a right to know of any problems they are having. So, of course, Ron then wanted to know how many friends of theirs knew about their problems…which then stemmed into how many of "Trish's wrestling friends" knew about their problems. They fought well past midnight before going to bed angry with each other, Trish so angry, that she slept in the spare bedroom.

Trish and Ron had gone through most of Thursday not speaking to each other. Thankfully though, Ron was at work while Trish went to the yoga studio to see how things were going there and to make sure her partner had everything under control. They put on happy faces when they arrived at her mother's for dinner. The dinner went smooth for the most part. Of course when she told her sister's she was back full time with the WWE, they were angry at first, but then slowly came around. Trish made sure not to mention anything about her problems with Ron in front of him. But she was able to pull each of her sister's aside and promised to elaborate on everything soon.

Trish was able to spend some time alone with her sisters on Friday. They had gone to the mall in the morning, shopped till lunch time and had a nice lunch together. She was able to catch them up on everything that had been happening with her and Ron. It was nice to talk to them in detail about things. They obviously both knew Ron very well since he's been in their lives for so long. It was nice to hear their opinions on things and was such a relief to hear her sisters say that Trish wasn't at fault for any of it. Obviously she knew that she wasn't perfect, but the things Ron was getting angry about were a little outrageous in her opinion.

After spending time with her sisters, Trish went back to the yoga studio to lead a class and to get her personal workout in. When she got home later that evening, it was around 5 PM and she was surprised to see Ron at home. This of course turned into another argument between the two. He was angry because he took a half day to spend some time with her and she wasn't home. Of course, Trish's defense, though perfectly logical in her eyes, was not the taken the same way by Ron. She had forgotten to put on her fortune teller hat that magically told her that Ron was taking a half day…since he never mentioned it to her. Her cell phone must have fallen into a vortex as well cause she never received a call from him either!

So here she was, landing in Jacksonville FL for the start of her crazy travel schedule. As she turned her cell phone back on, her phone was blowing up with text messages and voicemails. She scrolled through the text messages. The first one was from Amy Dumas.

'Bitch! Why didn't you tell me you were returning full time! And answer your stupid phone!'

Trish chuckled, thinking to herself, _'Looks like Ames was watching Smackdown!'_ As she scrolled down through the rest of her text messages, she realized most were from her former diva friends: Lisa, Mickey, Maria, and Lillian. As she scrolled through she recognized a text from an unknown number. As she read the text, she smiled instantly.

'Trish, its Randy. Hope you dont mind, got ur # from John. Call me when you land. Was thinkin we should travel together?'

She immediately dialed Randy's number, "Hey, it's Trish. I got your text message…where are you at?"

"I know it's you goof. Still at the airport…I'm working on grabbing a rental. I assume you got my text. So what do you think about my idea to travel together? I mean, we're both booked for Raw and Smackdown, and I travel alone, so I thought we'd just save some cash traveling together…and I'm not going to lie, I think we would have a pretty fun time."

"What a convincing argument! Yea, Randy, that sounds like a good idea to me. I literally just landed. Wanna drive around to pick me up? By the time you're through the line, I should have my baggage."

Within minutes, Randy pulled up to passenger pickup in a Chevy Malibu. He jumped out of the car and quickly put Trish's luggage in the trunk. He smiled at her and opened the door for her.

"I was worried we weren't going to fit everything. I know some of the divas have troubles traveling light."

"Well, it doesn't take much for me to look good, so I don't have to pack a lot. But I'm not going to lie, I wasn't expecting a Malibu. I thought Hunter and Flair taught you how to travel in style?"

He chuckled as he jumped back in the car and started driving. "Easy killer…it was all they had. I also have a daughter to provide for now? Anyway, I was thinking we could stop at the arena first, drop our crap and maybe grab a quick bite to eat?"

Trish smiled and nodded as she enjoyed the warm Florida weather, "I'm good with that."

"So how was your vacation?"

Trish groaned "Three days of fighting. How was your Thanksgiving?"

"It was good. I got see my little girl for three full days. It doesn't get much better than that. So I assume you and Ron had another argument?"

Trish nodded, she really didn't want to discuss it or even think about it anymore at the moment. She had just gotten her headache to go away. She looked at Randy and just gave him a kind look that insinuated she didn't really want to talk about it. He understood and decided to change the conversation to a lighter topic.

"I hope you don't mind, but we may have some company when we head to lunch. I normally go with John and sometimes a few other guys tag along."

"I'm good with that."

They pulled into the arena and separated while they put their bags in their dressing rooms. Twenty minutes later, Trish was back out at the car, in her workout gear, waiting for Randy. She looked to her right as she heard the door to the arena open and out came Randy with three other Raw boys: Nick, John, and Matt.

Within seconds of seeing Nick he ran up to her and embraced her in a hug, completely pulling her off her feet. "Oh I love me some Stratusfaction! When I heard you were back I almost did a back flip!"

"Hey, don't be greedy there cheerleader boy, my turn!" John picked Trish up next and gave her a huge hug, "This is my girl!"

"I feel like I need to get in on this action too!" Matt said as he came up and mimicked what John and Nick just did. Trish started giggling uncontrollably.

"Ok, ok guys…geez, have you never seen a pretty lady before? You're scratting all over her for God sakes!" Everyone turned and gave Randy a weird look, but John of course was the first one to call him out.

"Scratting? Can I have the official definition of that?"

Randy chuckled, "If you had a little girl and watched the movie Ice Age, you would understand completely what I was talking about!"

Nick glanced at Randy's rental then glanced at all of them. "So, who's driving? Cause grandma here ain't fitting us all in this Malibu!"

Matt laughed, "Dude, I'll drive…I got an Explorer. Though getting to possibly sit next to Trish in the tight back seat of a car doesn't sound too bad to me right now…"

Trish laughed, she never really got to spend too much time with Matt, but she got to do one skit with him and Snooki for Wrestlemania last year and he was hysterical while they tried taping. What's funny though is his character, Zack Ryder, is very similar to Matt's actual personality. And she already got to know Nick back when he was with the spirit squad, though the WWE Universe now knows him as Dolph Ziggler.

Trish was sandwiched in the back of the Explorer between Nick and Randy, since John pouted until he got shotgun. She chuckled to herself imaging them squeezing into the back of the Malibu. It was tight enough in the back and that was in a full size SUV.

The group stopped and grabbed a bite to eat at a local restaurant before continuing onto the gym. Trish was actually very grateful that she was able to ride with them. Being away for so many years, she wasn't as sharp on the gyms close to any of the arenas any more…not to mention restaurants.

They arrived back to the arena around 3 after working out. Everyone was anxious to go meet up and plan their matches for the night. Trish was very eager to find Beth. She was set to have a match against her tonight. And though she's worked with Beth in the past, Trish felt Beth had a bit of attitude the last time they talked. She understood that though everyone was friendly towards one another, they are also competitors. And right now, Trish was back in the spotlight that Beth had worked so hard to achieve.

She also assumed that some of the other divas may not have a warm welcoming either. By coming back and being put in this storyline, she may have inadvertently taken a title shot away from an eagerly awaiting diva.

As she walked into the Diva's locker room, she found Beth, as well as Brianna and Stephanie, know as the Bella twins. "Hey, I was hoping I'd find you in here."

Beth looked up and realized Trish was talking to her. "Hey Trish, yea I'm glad you found me."

Trish picked up on her fake enthusiasm quickly, but continued to keep the conversation friendly. "Oh good! So, I was wondering if you wanted to toss around some ideas for our match tonight?"

Beth quickly brushed her off, "No, I think we'll be fine just calling it out there. I mean, we're both professionals here and we're both already experienced. So I don't see a reason to."

Trish nodded, "Ok, I'm fine with that. There's no interference scheduled correct?"

Beth shook her head, "No, I don't think the interferences start coming into play until next week."

"Ok, then I'll just see you in the gorilla before the match."

Trish quickly grabbed her ipad and cell out of her bag and abruptly left. She was a little irritated that Beth obviously had issues with her returning. She had picked up on them last week, but decided to write them off. However, after her break, she's sick of putting up with people's shit. You would think she would appreciate that she got to work some matches with a more experienced diva. She also felt the dirty looks coming from the Bella Twins. And she wasn't quite sure what beef they had with her, but she also wasn't going to lose any sleep over it.

Trish spent the next few hours, catching up on emails, text messages and returning some calls. "Ames, I'm sorry I didn't let you know sooner! It was just so last minute!" she spoke into the phone.

"Ok, I'll accept that as your excuse, but I'm not letting you off the hook till you tell me why. I knew you'd miss it! How does Ron feel about it all?"

"Honestly, Ron is the reason why I'm here. We're having problems and agreed we needed some time apart. But….I can't lie and say I didn't miss it. But it's so different now. I'm considered a veteran…and that's just weird to me. And I miss the old crew too. I can remember back when it was me, you, Adam, Chris, Jason, Matt and Jeff. God I miss those days!"

"I'm sorry to hear that…do you think you and Ron can work out your problems? To be honest, I miss it too…but I'm not sure I would like how different it all is."

"I dunno Ames, some days I think we'll be fine. Other days, not really. Please come back! Come back for a return! Let's show these diva's how it really should be done! We can room together again, and travel all around together. We'd have so much fun!"

Amy laughed on the other line, "I can't Trish…I actually enjoy not travelling! Who are you travelling with now? Yourself?"

Trish made a face at Amy, though she knew Amy couldn't exactly see it, "Very funny! I actually started traveling with Randy."

"Randy? Really? There's one I wouldn't have guessed. How did that come about?"

"We just started talking my first day back and seemed to hit it off. He's really changed Amy. It's hard to believe honestly. What about a Wrestlemania return? Can I talk you in to that one?"

Amy laughed again, "You're relentless! Ok, I'll think about it. See, I told you back in the day Randy wasn't so bad! You just had to get to know him!"

Trish smiled, "Ok, you're right…like always. But, hey, I hate to cut us short, but I gotta go get ready. It takes a little more time for me to look as young as these other divas. Make sure to watch for me tonight"

Amy laughed on the other line, "You're still the best though! Just kick them in the teeth! Alright, see you later! Keep in better touch please!"

"Will do…I promise. Bye!"

As Trish rounded the corner to the dressing room, she ran right into Randy. "Hey, I was looking for you everywhere. You're a hard woman to track down. I thought you'd be in the dressing room."

"Yea, I didn't receive such a warm invitation earlier today, so I've been hiding out, catching up some things."

"Oh really? Screw them! Who cares what anyone says or thinks…they're just pissed because they're losing TV time to you. So, I noticed your match is set right before mine. Do you want to take off for Tallahassee right afterwards or do you want to grab a hotel here and leave in the morning?"

Trish smiled. It was nice actually getting to travel with someone. Though she missed Amy and the other girls so much, Randy was doing a good job of making up for it.

"I say let's just drive tonight. Its only a 2 and half hour drive right? That way, we don't have to get up so early tomorrow. If you're tired, I can drive."

"No, I can drive no problem. I won't be tired. I usually stay up pretty late anyway. That works for me. Meet me outside the locker room? I'll need about 15 minutes to shower and change."

Trish nodded, "No problem! Good luck out there tonight!"


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks for the reviews everyone! I really appreciate them! Sorry it's taken so long for me to post this chapter…but life is getting in the way haha!

Chapter 8

_Fucking Beth…wait till I find her. I'm going to fucking kill her! I'm over the shitty, petty attitude. Its time we do away with this shit. _Trish lay on the medic table, an ice pack secured over her rib cage. She was fuming and the chill of the ice was not calming her down whatsoever. She's worked stiff matches before...she understood that sometimes thing needed to be real in order to better sell them. However, nothing pissed her off more than not calling moves out there. Every huge move she made out there tonight, she made sure to call it. And Beth did the same….except for that one move. And all it takes is one to do decent damage. The knee to the ribs after the irish whip was enough to knock the wind out of Trish, bruise her ribs, and jar her back nicely as well.

The longer Trish lay there; the more she worked the plan out in her head. She wasn't going to say a word to Beth about it. Nope…but she was going to teach her a lesson….that was a guarantee. Next match with Beth, she would reverse the situation and throw an uncalled move on Beth. '_Let's see how she likes it! I'm a veteran now! I don't take shit from these young bitches! Hunter's done it before, I'm going to follow his lead. They have to learn somehow.'_

A deep voice pulled her from her scheming, "Hey, how are you doing? I saw that bump…was pretty rough."

Randy walked in the room and sat next to her. Are you sure you still want to get out of here tonight?"

Trish nodded fervently, "Absolutely. Cause if I see her, I may kill her."

Randy laughed, "Ok killer! I got your things. I had Nattie get them out of the locker room for me. Did you want to shower or are you ready to go now?"

"I'll just shower when we get there…if you can stand smelling me the whole car ride that is." Trish joked, throwing an elbow at Randy, lightening her mood with a smile.

'_She smells amazing, even after a sweaty match.'_ "I'm sure I can endure it," he laughed out. If anything, he'd have more trouble not allowing her sweet scent to captivate him. 

The car ride was silent for the first 20 minutes or so. Randy watched Trish out of the corner of his eye. She was gazing out the passenger window and he could tell her mind was running in overdrive but he wasn't sure who, or what was consuming her thoughts.

"So...do you want to talk about whatever is on your mind?"

Trish glanced over at Randy and chuckled lightly, "I'm plotting my revenge."

"Plotting your revenge?" Randy chuckled, "Against Beth I'm assuming?"

"Yes! Against Beth! She didn't call that knee to the ribs! That's not right!"

Randy could tell Trish was fired up and couldn't help but laugh, '_She really doesn't play the bitch role very well.' _There are some women who can be a sweetheart and then turn into a bitch at the drop of the dime. Trish wasn't one of those women. She was a sweetheart all the time...to everyone, even the people that don't deserve it.

"Ok, you could go two ways with this. You could go the Undertaker route, or the Triple H route."

Trish nodded, "Hunter's route...that's the way I want to go! He taught you a lesson didn't he?"

Randy smirked, "I guess everyone heard about that huh? Yes, Hunter's method is effective... I definitely learned my lesson, but is that really the way you want to do things?"

"Did you respect him after his beat down on you?"

Randy nodded, "Yes, I respected him, but I have way much more respect for Mark than Hunter."

"What exactly is Mark's method?"

"Mark will confront you about your mistake, tell you what you did wrong, explain why it was wrong, and then give suggestions on how to improve on it…"

"Hmm…..sounds boring…."

"Maybe…but if you blow off his advice and make the same mistake again, you better believe Mark will beat you down for it. The only difference between the two is Mark earns your respect by trying to help teach you, while Hunter demands your respect by beating you down so you know never to do it again."

Trish glanced back out the window, "When did this turn into a lecture, because that's what it feels like right now…"

Randy shrugged, he did feel like their conversation was turning into a lecture, but he was only trying to help. "Look, all I'm saying is that you're in a story line with Beth for at least the next few months. You can try to clear the tension between the two of you, or you could make it even worse. It's your decision to make, and I'll support you in whichever one you choose."

Trish thought about what he said and decided that he was right. Getting back at Beth was not the way to go. She needed to clear the tension between them. Truth be told, she really did admire Beth. The diva's division had fallen apart since Trish's departure. Beth and Nattie seem to be the only two really holding it together.

And like a flash of lightening it hit Trish. She had finally found something to focus on other than Ron. It's not that she wasn't interested in fixing her relationship with Ron, but instead of dwelling on it like she's been doing for months now; she can focus on her newly realized goal: saving the women's division.

"Thanks Randy, I think you're right about the Beth situation. I'm going to fix it the right way. I also think you just gave me meaning to my return."

Randy looked at her and smiled, "That's a rather large compliment to throw my way." He didn't know what she meant by her comment but it seemed as though the old Trish that he remembered was starting to make a comeback.

"But in all honesty, I'm glad I was able to help you find meaning. The Trish that returned to the WWE was not the Trish I remembered…until now that is."

She thought about that for a few minutes and realized that he was right. When she came back to the WWE, she felt lost…like she didn't have a purpose for being there other than to try and save her marriage. But now, that's all changed. Though her failing marriage is what brought her back, she's found a reason for returning. She thought back to the days when she first signed with the company. She set her goal to be one of the best women's wrestlers to ever grace the WWE; to make a name for herself and change the way women were viewed. And she definitely achieved it.

"What meaning did I help you find exactly?"

Trish chuckled, telling Randy that she was going save the women's division sounded a little ridiculous…like something a super hero would say. "I'm going to help the other diva's improve their wrestling skills."

Randy glanced at Trish, excitement beamed from her face. He thought it was a great idea. The women's division was close to being written off. Trish's idea may just be the kick start it needs and may revive it to what it used to be.

"Will you work with me and teach me some new moves? I want to add a few more to my regimen and get rid of some of my older over-used ones."

"Trish, I'll help you however I can. Whatever you want, you got!"

They arrived in Tallahassee a little after 1 AM and checked into the hotel. They managed to get rooms just a few doors down from each other. Trish couldn't wait to get in her room, take a shower, and get some sleep. She had plans tomorrow morning to do yoga at the gym and get over to the arena early. She needed to have a long discussion with Beth and then she needed to pull AJ, Beth, and Nattie together to go through a dry-run of the match.

"So do you think we can hit the gym early tomorrow morning?"

Randy nodded, letting out a little yawn, "If that's what you would like to do. Not too early though…like 9ish ok?

Trish giggled, "Yes, 9 is fine. We can even squeeze in a quick breakfast if you'd like."

"Absolutely! I'll see you tomorrow morning at 9." Randy said, walking Trish to her door.

"Good night Randy. Thanks for the talk tonight…I owe you."

Randy flashed his signature smirk, "Oh yes you do! Don't worry; I won't let you forget it! Good night Trish."

As she closed her room door, he hesitated before walking away. '_She really is the total package…beautiful, smart, driven, well spoken, sexy, and yet cute at the same time. What the hell is wrong with Ron?'_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Randy approached Trish's room the next morning and was about to knock on the door when he heard yelling from the other side. "_Oh, I don't know…I thought maybe you could at least pretend to care about things that I tell you!"_

Randy immediately figured it was Ron that she was talking to and though it wasn't right to eavesdrop on her conversation, he couldn't stop himself from listening…but he also couldn't bring himself to knock…not just yet.

"_Why! How about because you care about me and you love me? We obviously have different passions in life that excite us, but when you're excited, I can see that and it makes me excited for you…you're happy therefore I'm happy! I just wish you would show me the same respect sometimes!"_

"_Fine! Then for now on, I'll keep my stupid wrestling stories to myself and I'll be sure not to care the next time you have something important to tell me!"_

Randy had heard enough…he could tell Trish was on the verge of tears on the other side of the door. It was time to interrupt and hopefully end the conversation.

Trish's head snapped to the door when she heard the knock. She walked furiously over and opened the door, summoning Randy in. He could tell she was extremely irritated and angry. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was still wet, but she was fully clothed and it appeared that her gym bag was packed as well.

"Well, I'm sorry that you feel that way…ok…you have a terrific day as well. Don't bother calling me tonight…wouldn't want to bore you with my day!" With sarcasm oozing from her lips, Trish hung up the cell phone and threw it on the bed.

She looked at Randy with tears starting to build up in her eyes, "I wish they still made cell phones that slammed shut damn it…it's so hard to slam the receiver down on phones now days! How are you supposed to appropriately express an angry hang-up?" She chuckled; trying to make light out of the fight that Randy witnessed the end of. Little did she know how much of the conversation he actually heard…

He looked at her with sympathetic eyes, but didn't say anything. To be honest, he wasn't exactly sure what to say. He wanted to tell her to just end the marriage. She deserves so much better than him. She deserves someone that will make her their entire world…someone that will make her laugh instead of cry, someone who will be there for her regardless of the situation. And he was insistent that Ron was not that man.

"This marriage is testing my strength…you know how many times now I wanted to just throw in the towel?"

Randy sighed, "Then why don't you?"

She sat down on the bed defeated, "Because I vowed till death do us part. And I'm not going to be like everyone else…marriage isn't as big of a deal as it used to be. A couple's not getting along? Fine, let's get a divorce! I'm not like that…I take marriage seriously. I entered into a lifetime vow and I'm not going to give up on him. He just makes it so fucking hard sometimes…"

Randy sat down next to her and grabbed her hands, "You are one of the strongest women I've ever met! Don't get discouraged. If it was meant to be, it'll be. But please don't ever let him kill that passion inside of you."

The second Randy grabbed her hands, she felt a jolt of electricity run through her body. Their eyes locked for a mere second, though it felt like an eternity for Trish. She felt an indescribable magnetic pull towards Randy as if all laws of gravity were being defied. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was completely lost in his eyes. She could feel his eyes boring into her soul and never felt such an immediate connection with anyone before. She stood abruptly, breaking the moment. "Ok, we really should get going. I've delayed us at least by a half hour! Just let me pull this wet mop up and we can get out of here."

After a quick hour workout and even quicker stop for breakfast, Randy and Trish arrived at the arena. The first thing on Trish's agenda was to find Beth. She made her way to the locker room, hoping to run into her. But to her disappointment, she wasn't there.

"Hey Trish! I haven't had a chance to catch you since your comeback!" Trish looked up to see Victoria, aka Alicia Fox, emerging from the showers. "I'm actually very happy that you're back! I'm really excited to get to work with you…you've set the bar so high for all of us!"

Trish smiled, "I'm actually very excited to get to work with you too! I love some of your moves and I think we could really work the match well. Unfortunately, we're both faces so we probably won't be slotted against each other for some time!"

She laughed, "Very true!"

"You haven't happened to run into Beth today, have you?"

Vicki nodded, "Actually yes I did…she's in the ring working some moves with Nattie."

"Perfect! Thanks Vicki…see you later!"

Trish had repeatedly practiced her approach with Beth in her head, but as she walked down to the ring, she felt apprehensive. What if Beth didn't respond the way she hoped? What if by talking to her, she makes the situation worse than it already is?

She saw the two blondes working moves as she started down the ramp to the ring. They noticed her presence almost immediately. Nattie smiled and waved while Beth gave a half smile.

"Hey ladies! Practicing some moves for tonight?" She tried to keep the conversation light and positive.

Nattie nodded, "You bet! Would like to join us?"

"Actually I would love to, but I was hoping to talk to Beth real quick?"

Nattie shot Trish a knowing look and winked. Beth dropped her head slightly and slowly stopped making eye contact with Trish. She resembled a child that knew they were about to get scolded. "I actually wanted to talk to you too. I wanted to apologize for the knee to the ribs. I didn't call it and I know I should have." She finally raised her head and made eye contact with Trish. "I could have seriously injured you and that's not my intent. I was just a little jealous that you were back…Nattie and I obviously have been working very hard to get more TV time and longer matches. With you coming back, I thought you'd be taking it from us."

Trish shot Beth a sympathetic look. She understood exactly what these women were going through. They were trying to be taken serious in a sport where the majority of women are here for eye candy purposes.

"Look, that wasn't my intent at all. I'm actually looking forward to working matches with you both. I admire you so much and I think we can do some really great things out there."

Beth chuckeld, "Yeah, I'm not going to lie. Nattie was all over me last night and the whole ride here about what I did to you."

Nattie nodded, "Hey, I have to have my fellow Canadian's back!"

All three of them exchanged laughs. Trish was feeling better already. She decided now was the time to talk about fixing the women's division.

"So, I wanted to toss an idea by both of you…I'm think it will work, but I can't do it by myself so I'm asking you both for help. You two always talk about being 'Pin-up Strong' and emphasize how you're beautiful, yet strong and talented wrestlers. Well, I want to turn the diva's division into just that. I want to make the division what it once was. I think we have a lot of talented women that could excel with a little bit of guidance."

They both nodded. Both women looked excited about the possibility of making the division better. Nattie asked what both women were thinking, "What's your thought process on how to go about doing this?"

"Well, I think we need to start working with the other ladies. Divide and conquer if you know what I mean. We need to start incorporating ring time into our schedules before Raw and Smackdown. Show them new moves and help them master the current moves, give them constructive criticism, and help them with their microphone skills. Then on the nights of house shows, tell them to try and incorporate the moves into their matches that night. What do you think?"

Beth responded first, "I think it's a great idea. I think it's worth a shot. I mean, let's face it, what have we got to lose?"

"Oh, and I also am going to keep a log of all the diva's matches and the lengths of each match. If this is working, we should start to see an incline in match times. And who knows, maybe I'm being very optimistic, but we might even get some promos!"

"So where do we start? Anyone in particular?"

"Um, I think you two should focus on Eve and Barbara since they've been getting pretty big pushes as of lately. I'll start with AJ. You may not need to help Eve out that much, so you'll have to determine the length of time you need to work with them. If you think they're picking up on things and improving, then move on to someone else."

Both women agreed and then Beth asked the question no one had considered, "What if they don't want to work with us? What if they don't want to improve?"

Trish thought about that for a second. She didn't even consider that. Why would someone not jump at the opportunity to further their career? "Well, I don't think that'll be the case, but if it is, then just move onto the next diva. I don't think these women would be here if they weren't interested in wrestling though." With that, the plan was set in motion.

"I'm going to run and find AJ right now and then we can layout the match for tonight."

Trish headed backstage on the hunt for AJ. She was glad the conversation went as well as it did. And she was excited to begin 'Operation Pin-up Strong'!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Trish emerged from the women's locker room after a much needed shower. As she walked the halls to find Randy, she received many compliments on her match that night. Though the match lasted a mere two minutes, Trish and AJ, as well as Beth and Nattie put their all into the match. In her opinion, it was the best diva's match the WWE Universe has seen in a long time…but of course, she was biased.

She dropped her bags outside the men's locker room and sat down on a prop box while she waited for Randy. The show had ended about twenty minutes ago, but his match was the main event so she assumed he wouldn't be too much longer. As she waited, she posted a few tweets, checked her private facebook page, and started thumbing through some of the text messages she had. She frowned as she noticed one of the messages was from Ron. They hadn't spoken since that morning and she had no intentions of calling him.

'_All we do is fight anymore…I don't want it to be this way. When you get home, I think we need to address the obvious.' _

Tears began welling up in Trish's eyes. She knew exactly what he was referring to. He wants to talk about the possibility of getting a divorce. And he sent, what could be the most important decision of their lives, in a text message. At that moment Trish realized that it didn't matter how hard she fought for their marriage...if he didn't want to fight for it, the end was inevitable.

Randy walked out of the locker room "Hey beautiful, are you ready to go?" He didn't notice she was on the verge of tears until she looked up at him. "Are you ok?"

She nodded, "I'm fine…just thinking about stuff."

Before Randy could inquire further, Ted approached them both, completely ignorant to the state Trish was in. "Hey guys, you coming out with everyone? We're headed to a club downtown called Elixir."

Randy responded, while guiding Ted away from Trish, "No man, I don't think so. We have to leave early tomorrow morning for Mobile. We have an autograph session along with some of the Raw superstars.

"Aww man, that sucks! You're going to miss a good time! Alright, well I'm out of here then. Cody's waiting outside. See you Thursday in Birmingham! Bye Trish!"

Trish waved as she jumped off the prop box. "Thanks for covering me there…I really don't want my problems going public." Randy nodded as he picked up her bag. "Ready to head to the hotel? Unless you want to attempt the drive tonight?"

Trish shook her head, "No, it's a three hour drive. That would put us in Mobile almost close to 4. Let's stay here tonight and head out early tomorrow morning."

The car ride to the hotel was silent. Granted, it was only a twenty minute drive, but regardless, Trish wasn't in the mood to talk and Randy wasn't going to try to pry anything out of her.

It wasn't until they walked into the lobby that Trish spoke. "Hey, would you be interested in watching a movie with me tonight?" Randy looked at her and chuckled, "Sure, so as long as you don't care that I order room service." She smiled, "Deal! I think we should try to get adjoining rooms too. I'll pay for the larger room."

Randy was about to agree until he thought quickly about what a bad idea that could possibly be. Though he would never act on any feelings he may have for Trish, he at least was able to admit to himself that he did feel something for her. He couldn't quite define what those feelings were, as he loved Samantha more than words. He was extremely confused but regardless, knew he had to smash those feelings. He was about to interject but was too late.

"Hi yes, we would like adjoining rooms please. Yes, two."

Minutes later, they were on their way up the elevator to the 4th floor. They entered their rooms and within seconds Trish was knocking on the adjoining door. Randy opened it with a smile on his face and walked into the sitting room/kitchen of Trish's one bedroom suite.

After changing into comfy clothes and ordering room service, the two sat down on the couch and flipped on the TV. "Ok, let's see what movies they have to choose from."

"Oh! What about Hangover 2? I haven't seen it yet, have you?" Trish asked eagerly, slightly bouncing on the couch like a little girl.

Randy chuckled, "Ok, so Hangover 2 it is!"

"But only if you didn't see it…you didn't see it, did you?"

"No Trish, I didn't. What, did you think I would just watch it again even if I already saw it? Think I'd just let you have your way?" Randy teased.

Trish hit him, "No! I was just making sure! But…now that you mention it, I usually do get my way…."

Randy chuckled, "That's cause you're so damn gorgeous…what man in his right mind would say no?" He froze suddenly, _'Fuck! Did I just say that out loud? Someone please kill me now!' _His face felt like it was on fire and his pulse was pounding. He realized there was no way to play off the statement except to try and act nonchalant about it.

Trish picked up on it quickly. She watched his cheeks grow to a rosy hue, but realized his cheeks weren't the only ones that were blushing. She could feel the heat radiating off of her own. It was an awkward moment between the two, but decided to try and play it off, "Whatever Orton, just start the movie."

Randy stirred slightly, a sharp pain shooting through his neck into his left hand. He woke up to find a sleeping Trish in his arms. She had her head resting on his chest, his left arm wrapped tightly around her waist. This explained why his arm was asleep and tingling. The TV was still on the hotel's pay per view channel.

As much as his arm and neck hurt, he didn't want to move. He didn't want to wake her. She looked so peaceful and happy sleeping…beautiful too. But, his body was stiff enough from his match earlier. Sleeping sitting up on a couch wasn't going to make it any better. He scooped Trish up in his arms and carried her into her room and onto her bed, trying not to wake her. He had the oddest urge to sit and watch her sleep, but decided against it. He was extremely tired and couldn't risk falling asleep only to have her wake up and see him sitting there.

He stood up and walked back into his room, rubbing his hands over his face while sighing. He had to get whatever was going on in his head in check


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Are you ready to get out of here? Maybe grab a bite to eat on the way?"

Randy turned and looked at Trish. The meet and greet session ended about a half hour ago and most of the superstars were still hanging around chatting.

Randy nodded before walking over to Matt and Stu. He was being distant with her all day and she wasn't sure why. She knew she fell asleep watching the movie last night and that Randy must have put her in bed, but she didn't understand why that was such a big deal.

They walked in silence to the car before Randy seemed to return to his old self. "I know this great little restaurant on the beach. They have the freshest seafood I've ever eaten. It's amazing. Do you like seafood? Would that place interest you?"

Trish smiled, "Oh my God, do I love seafood? It could easily be my favorite food!"

* * *

><p>Randy chuckled as he watched Trish devour a bucket of crab legs. She had crab pieces all over her fingers and shells everywhere. "I'm sorry, I'm such a messy crab leg eater!"<p>

"No, it's fine! This is the best entertainment I've had in a long time!" Randy laughed out as he popped a few more shrimp into his mouth.

"It's just, I haven't had good crab legs in forever and I just love them! You practically burn more calories trying to break them open than you do eating them!"

The waitress came over with the check and more wet naps for Trish. Randy grabbed the bill and paid before Trish could get her crabby hands on it. "Randy, come on, how much was it?"

"My treat…you just worry about cleaning up."

Trish laughed, "I'm going to run the ladies room. I don't think these wet naps are going to help me at all."

Five minutes later Trish emerged from the ladies room. "Ready to hit the road?"

Randy shook his head, "Nope…not yet. Let's take a walk on the beach."

Trish gave Randy a curious look as she followed him down to the beach. She took off her flip flops once she hit the sand. They walked in silence for awhile. Finally Randy spoke, "Any time we stop in a coastal city, I make it a point to come down to the ocean…even if for only 15 minutes. I do some of my best thinking out here. There's something about the sound of the waves with the blowing wind…it's so calming. It's a nice escape from my hectic life."

Trish looked down as she walked, eyeballing the shells scattered on the beach. "I feel bad. This whole time we've been traveling together, we always talk about my failing marriage and issues, but we never discuss Alanna, Sam, or even your parents. How is Randy Orton's life? Are you happy?"

Randy looked out into the ocean, "Yeah, I can say I'm honestly happy. I mean, Sam and I have our differences every now and again, but we've been managing to get through them."

"What kind of differences?"

"Well, a lot of the differences are around Alanna. We both have different methods of parenting and a lot of times, they clash. You know what I mean…just differences in the ways you bring up your children. I for one was spoiled growing up and I can honestly say I spoil the hell out of Al. And Sam disagrees with that. She wants to teach Al that she can't always have everything that she wants. Which is a good value to instill in our daughter, but I hardly get to see her, so when I do, I can't help but spoil her. And it usually always results in a fight."

Trish nodded, as an overwhelming sense of sadness overcame her. She and Ron had tried to have a baby on many occasions, only to find out that the odds of Trish ever getting pregnant were slim.

"Why haven't you and Ron had any children yet? I'm actually very surprised you don't…I would imagine you'd make a fantastic mother."

Trish sighed, "We tried…countless times. Then we went to see a doctor and she pretty much told me it would never happen. I can't remember the jargon she used to describe my condition…all I remember is her saying I have about a 1% chance of ever getting pregnant."

Randy stopped walking; he grabbed Trish's hand and pulled her into a hug. He felt terrible bringing up such a painful memory for her. Trish nestled her face into Randy's shirt, trying to focus on how amazing he smelled as opposed to the aching in her heart.

"Why didn't you consider adoption?" he asked as they began walking again.

Trish sardonically laughed, "Because Ron said he didn't want to. He said he could never love a child that wasn't his…which I find ridiculous. God, as I look back, we argued so much about that topic. Whether it was the fighting while trying to get pregnant, or the fighting over adoption, it was a train wreck. I just gave up and let him win."

Randy nodded and decided to keep his thoughts on Ron to himself. As much of a douche bag Ron seemed to be, Trish was still fighting for him. He was afraid if he came out and told Trish his true feelings on the subject, she might back off and stop opening up to him.

"Ah ha! See! The conversation has somehow turned focus back to me! So, tell me more about Sam. Other than parenting do you disagree on much else?"

"Actually yes, we've had countless knock down, drag out battles when it comes to trust. Sam has some serious trust issues with me. Now granted, I obviously made quite a name for myself, so I can't completely blame her. But I feel I've proven myself over the years. I would never cheat on her. But of course she has a hard time believing me when I tell her that…and I've told her on numerous occasions! The internet doesn't help my plight either. With all the different Medias out there, I'm fucked. I swear she spends her entire day googling me and checking different websites for tidbits of proof to throw in my face."

Trish looked at Randy wide eyed, "Is this constant?"

"No, she's backed off a little after I exploded on her one night. You know I've had anger issues in the past…well, that night, she pushed me to my limit. I mean, I didn't throw shit or hit her or anything like that…I could never lay a hand on her. I just walked out. Since taking those anger classes, my therapist said it's best to walk away when I get too angered. Anyway, I came back hours later and she was still crying, apologizing to me, and promising to stop. So, it's a little better, but not much."

Trish stopped walking and turned to Randy, "So, I'm guessing that she has no idea we've been traveling together?"

Randy let out a little laugh and looked at his feet, "No…she would definitely freak out."

Trish let out an exasperated sigh, "That's really great Randy! She would kill you and me both if she knew we were together so much!"

Randy looked at her incredulously, "Oh, because Ron knows we travel together, right?"

Trish looked angrily at him, before breaking into a softer tone, "No…are you nuts? That would probably be the straw that breaks the camel's back!"

Randy jokingly mocked her, "I thought so…Ms. Hypocrite!"

"Touché…but you should consider telling Sam. If there is one thing I've learned, it's that you can't keep walking on glass. You have to address the issues. Cause if you keep ignoring them, they eventually get to the point where they explode."

"Are you going to tell Ron then?"

Trish looked into the setting sun, deep in thought. "Yes. I'm going to. I'll tell him as soon as I go home for our mini Christmas break. I definitely don't want to break this news over the phone. I mean, I'm not sure why we are so worried about telling them…our relationship is strictly platonic. Are you going to tell Sam?"

Randy glanced down, "Yea, platonic…" His mind began spinning as soon as the word left her lips. "Um, will I tell Sam? Yes…I will. If you're going to, then I will too."

Suddenly, Randy was hit in the face by ocean water. He looked up surprised as he found Trish in the ocean, kicking water on him.

"Oh that's it Stratus, you're dead!" He ran in the water after her and threw her over his shoulder. He swung her down till she was about an inch away from the water, both of them laughing hysterically.

"Orton! Let me up! If you drop me in this water it's so on!"

Randy placed her back down, but not before claiming retribution by splashing her. Within minutes, both of them were out of breath and somewhat wet. Trish was laughing so hard it actually hurt her insides.

"We should probably get back to the car. We have a long drive ahead of us."

Trish settled in the passenger seat and watched as the sun slowly started setting below the water. _'This was the most fun I've had in a long time. This is what a marriage should be like.'_


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi everyone, so I personally feel I had a very hard time writing this chapter. Trying to explain wrestling moves so that they can be properly visualized proved to be a little difficult for me! But, I tried my best! Anyway, I got the idea for the Trish's submission move from the Haywire movie Gina Carano just starred in. I saw the movie with my boyfriend and he made a comment like, "I wish I was that guy right now! She could put me in that move anyday!" Thus my inspiration! Enjoy!**

Chapter 12

A week had passed and Trish, Beth, and Nattie were keeping up with their diva training. Beth was working with Barb, and Nattie with Eve. Trish was still helping AJ out, though creative made a storyline change. After TLC, AJ is to start dating Daniel Bryan, removing her from tag teaming against the Divas of Doom.

So, Trish's storyline is to focus on the Diva's belt, working mostly one on one matches with Beth. At TLC, Trish will get her first shot at the title. She will lose due to interference from Nattie. Of course, the Divas of Doom slowly start to unravel after TLC. Nattie's interference attempts on the matches are proven worthless and Trish begins pulling out more wins. The failed attempts begin to piss Beth off. At Royal Rumble, Trish is slated to win the belt, starting the downfall of the stable.

Overall, the women's matches were still relatively short in length, but they haven't been at it very long. However, Trish and Beth are slotted for a four minute match at TLC. Both divas were surprised by how much time they were given, but they weren't questioning it.

Since receiving the text message from Ron, she had been in contact with him various times. For the most part, they made small talk. Obviously both parties were tired of fighting with each other, so any huge issue would wait until Trish returned home for Christmas. She feared Christmas was going to be ugly this year. She also hadn't updated Randy on any of her problems with Ron. She felt like an annoyance to him…always talking about her problems.

Randy also had kept his promise to help Trish with her moves and tried to work with her at least twice a week. Though he was able to keep his body in check, his brain was a different story. Working this closely with Trish was slowly starting to kill him.

* * *

><p>"Randy! What's up stranger? Haven't heard from you in a while! What the fuck is new?"<p>

Randy switched his cell to his other ear while finding a dark hallway to get lost down. "Ah not much man. How's life been treating you?"

"Not too bad…you know, just shooting a movie with Vin Diesel!"

"What! No shit! Dave that's awesome!"

"Tell me about it! ME…acting! Who would have ever imagined that?" Dave chuckled through the phone, "So, Randy, I know you called for a reason because I rarely hear from you. What's on your mind?"

Randy smiled through the phone. Dave really did know him better than almost anyone, well, except for John of course. "Ok, well I need some advice…I was wondering…I mean, you were in a serious relationship when you fell in love with Angie, right?"

Dave sighed, "Oh boy…please tell me you didn't cheat on Sam."

"God, no! I mean, well, not physically…but I think I might be…emotionally cheating on her? If that's possible…"

"With who? Wait, wait, wait…let me guess. I know you lost interest in ring rats years ago. They also can't hold any stimulating conversation anyway…so it must be someone internally." At this point, Dave was jerking Randy off…he knew exactly who he was talking about. "Hmm…who could it be? Barb? No you burnt that bridge a while ago. Eve, maybe…the other Bella twin, eh, unlikely…Oh I know! Could it possibly be…Trish?"

Randy was speechless, "How the fuck did you know that? Please tell me there aren't pictures posted online!"

Dave started laughing hysterically, "Dude, I thought you said you weren't cheating? What the hell kind of pictures would be out there?"

Randy groaned, "Does it really matter? I could be sitting next to you in a photo and Sam would accuse me of cheating on her! Regardless of all that, how did you know it was Trish?"

"Come on Rand, her and Amy were the only two divas you ever really respected! I mean, you were nice to Torrie, Stacy, Candice, amongst many others…but they never gained your respect like Trish! Not to mention, you used to gush about her all the time! After every match, it was 'did you see what she was wearing', 'did you see her new move out there', 'did you see her new photo shoot', I mean, the list goes on and on!"

"Ok, ok, ok! I get the point. She's hot! Every man on the earth realizes this! Look, I'm just confused! I don't even know if you can cheat on someone emotionally. I mean, I've heard the term used before, so I think I might be?"

Dave chuckled lightly, he knew Randy was being serious, but he couldn't help but laugh at the fact that only Randy could get himself into a predicament like this one. "Well, I think an emotional affair is when you spend more time with someone other than your wife…you share more intimate feelings with this other individual than you do your spouse. So is that what you're doing?"

"Uh, I don't think so. I mean, I obviously spend more time with her; we've been traveling together since November. But that is the nature of the beast known as the WWE. But intimate feelings, I mean, yea, I guess I do…nothing crazy though. I just talk to her about Sam and fights we have, tell her stories about Al, and try to help her through her troubled marriage."

"Wait…troubled marriage? Is she divorcing Ron? Maybe I should reconsider making my comeback…"

Randy put his foot in his mouth…he really didn't want to tell Dave about Trish's personal problems. "They are having problems…no divorce yet. But please don't say a word to anyone. She doesn't want this getting out. And like you would stand a chance anyway…the whole Melina incident ruined you for life man!"

"Who the hell am I going to tell? I barely talk to anyone that would even give a rat's ass about Trish Stratus."

"I didn't think you would…I just wanted to make sure. She'd kill me if she knew I told anyone. Anyway, I wanted to know how you knew Angie was the one for you…even when you were already in love with someone else?"

"I can't explain it…it's the feeling you get every time you're around her...she's like your form of oxygen. It's when you try to imagine her not in your life and you can't or don't want to….when everything she says is interesting, even if it's the most boring subject. It's when every time you touch her, a jolt of electricity flows through you. She's like a bad addiction that you can't kick. I can go on and on Randy, but you'll just know."

The other end of the phone was silent.

"I mean, it doesn't happen immediately. It's not like love at first site. The first time I saw Angie, I was attracted to her and I said I'm going to marry that woman. But it wasn't until I got to know her and we connected on so many levels that I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her and actually acted on it. You see how well that worked out for me though."

"Ok, I think I'm more confused now than I was before I called you."

Dave sighed, "Look, just make sure you don't do anything stupid until you figure all this out."

"Please Dave, you know me! I could never cheat on Sam and I would never hurt her! I just have this inexplicable connection with Trish that I'm trying to ignore, but I just can't!"

"Ok, I get it. Well, maybe you should stop spending so much time with her. You know, back things off a bit?"

Randy shook his head adamantly, "No. I can't do that. I'm not going to lie and say that I haven't had a great time traveling with her. Getting to spend time with her is like a breath of fresh air. And besides all that, she needs me. She isn't confiding in anyone else about her problems with Ron. I can't just leave her high and dry."

"Hey, I'm just trying to give you advice. But if you ask me, you already know the answers to all your questions…you're just ignoring them. Look man, I hate to cut this short, but I really have to get going. Are you going to be ok?"

Randy ran his hand through his hair, "Yea, I'll be fine. I have to get to the ring anyway…I'm helping Trish with some new moves."

Dave laughed on the other line, "I bet you are!"

"Whatever dickhead!"

"Later bro!"

* * *

><p>As Randy made his way down the ramp, he saw Trish stretching in the ring. She lit up as soon as she saw him. "I was starting to think you were going to stand me up!"<p>

He smiled as he ducked under the ropes. "Please, someone has to teach this old dog some new tricks!"

She punched him in the stomach when he came close enough to her. "Hey! I've been gone for a few years here! I haven't exactly had time to create new ones!"

Randy rolled his eyes, "Likely story…so what do you want to work on today?"

"I don't know…what do you think about a new finisher?"

Randy shook his head, "Terrible idea!"

Trish looked at him perplexed, "Why do you say that?"

"You don't need a new finisher. You've used the same one for years now. It would be like if Triple H just decided to use a new move tomorrow. The fans are expecting the build up into the Pedigree and what a let down if he doesn't use it! Using a new one would be wrong…but…you could always add a twist to the Stratusfaction or just add a new move your list of signatures."

Trish thought about it and then started nodding, "Ok, you've caught my interest…what kind of twist are you thinking?"

"Alright, so you're getting set for the Stratusfaction. You run with your opponent and propel yourself off the top rope to hit the bulldog, but instead of propelling around, you flip over backwards, while still holding your opponent's head, then you fall flat on your stomach, while your opponent falls on their back, turning the move into an inverted neck breaker."

Trish smiled, "You're brilliant! You know that? Ok, let's try it."

Randy smiled to himself, he respected her as a wrestler to a great extent, and until this day, he was never sure if she felt the same about him. After her praise, he decided she did. And that was a great feeling.

They practiced the move for about a half hour before Trish felt like she had it down. "Ok what's next?" Randy asked, grabbing a drink of water.

"Don't laugh at me…but I want to do an MMA move. I saw one that Gina Carano did before. It was a submission move and it just seemed so fierce."

Randy started laughing, not because he didn't think Trish could pull off the move, but because she doesn't come across as a 'fierce' individual. Let's face it, she was too sweet and cute to ever come off as anything even close to fierce…at least in his opinion. But, if that's what she wanted to do, he would help her.

"You're laughing! It's a stupid idea, huh?"

Randy looked at her sincerely, he hated hurting her feelings and he felt like he just did. "No, that's not why I was laughing…I think it's a good idea. Show me the move."

Within seconds, Trish had Randy in the position she needed him in to perform the submission move. She then wrapped her legs around his head to the point where Randy's face was staring at a body part of Trish's that made his mind roam instantly. He immediately felt the blood rising to his cheeks, and it wasn't because of the submission move. He tried to think of anything at that moment to stop focusing on the thoughts that were running through his head. He closed his eyes and tried to picture Sam, but erotic images of him and Trish kept invading his mind. He opened his eyes and locked gazes with her.

Trish saw the lustful look that Randy was giving her and she suddenly felt her body responding. Her body hadn't felt that way in years. She felt her insides crying for more. Every bit of her flesh tingled as he grabbed her thighs, trying to release the hold.

Randy had to get out of this situation; the seductive look Trish was throwing him was driving him crazy. He needed to go take a cold shower immediately. "Ok, Trish…I think that's good."

Trish released her grip and moved away from him. Both of them were completely out of breath and felt awkward. Randy only hoped that she didn't notice the throbbing bulge that had grown in his pants. Trish realized that she had just experienced an erotic moment with Randy and her mind was running rampant. She needed to get out of there and quickly. "Yeah, I think you're right. I should go shower. The show will be starting soon."

She abruptly left Randy kneeling in the middle of the ring. Once the coast was clear, Randy stood up, his bulge evidentially obvious. He broke out into a jog heading towards the men's locker room before anyone could notice what just took place. _'Maybe Dave was right…maybe I do need some space from Trish. Thank God Christmas is right around the corner…'_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Trish boarded the plane back to Toronto early Thursday morning. It was December 22nd and she had four full days off to spend Christmas with her family. Words couldn't describe how nervous she was to see Ron. She had feared the worst for a few weeks now, but had hoped maybe he sent that text message in haste.

She tried to push the incident in the ring between her and Randy from her mind. Unfortunately, it was all she could think about. In the 20 years she's been with Ron, she never once thought about another man, let alone erotic thoughts about one. It took all the restraint she had not to give into her urges that day. She could remember so vividly the look Randy was giving her and knew he had to feel the same way she did.

She purposely avoided contact with Randy that night. She felt bad for doing it, but the incident in the ring was too dangerous. She had convinced herself that it wouldn't have happened if her marriage wasn't in shambles and if Randy didn't miss Sam so much. She even went as far as snagging a ride with Beth to the airport the next morning. She didn't say goodbye or wish him a Merry Christmas. But, neither did he.

* * *

><p>Randy's flight landed in St. Louis. He was beyond excited to see Al and to spend some time with Sam. Though his last interaction with Trish was constantly on his mind, four days with Sam was exactly what he needed to clear his brain of any thoughts of Trish Stratus.<p>

He avoided Trish like the plague after their "bonding" in the ring. And he felt terrible about it. He had worked so hard to become a better person. He prided himself on the changes he had made to his overall persona and avoiding Trish was an old classic Randy-ism. He used to do it to the conquests of the night all the time…get off, get out. But this time, his heart was hurting, and his brain was screaming at him 'Now who's the douche bag?'

He pulled into the driveway and instantly saw Alannah waving to him from the window. He ran into the house with a huge smile on his face. "Hey baby girl! Come here and give Daddy a hug! I missed you so much!" Al ran to him and jumped into his arms "Daddy! Daddy! I missed you too! Mommy said Santa is coming soon!"

"She did, did she? Hmm…well, I think she may be right! I hope you've been a good girl for Mommy while Daddy's been gone! Or else all Santa's going to bring you is coal!" She nodded and giggled.

"Where's Mommy at honey?"

"Um, in the kitchen."

"You think? Well! Let's go find her!" He said, picking Al up and carrying her into the kitchen.

"There's Mommy!" He said as walked in, still holding Al.

"Look Mommy! Daddy's home!" Alannah said as Randy put her down.

Sam turned and looked at Randy. She let out a smile, but didn't seem overly excited to see him. "Hey baby."

He walked over to her and gave her a hug and a kiss. It wasn't exactly the type of greeting he thought he was going to receive from her. Something felt…off. It was like she could care a less that he was even home. Randy immediately felt guilty…but there was no way she could possibly know about Trish. So he assumed she must be pissed at him…but why, he had no clue.

* * *

><p>Trish walked into the house after arriving home and what she found took her breath away. Boxes were packed and scattered throughout every room. Ron's SUV was in the driveway, so she knew he was home. She slowly walked up the stairs, dodging the boxes lining the hallway. She walked into their bedroom and found Ron throwing the rest of his clothes in a suitcase.<p>

He looked up startled as he heard someone enter the room. "Trish! You're home early…I wasn't expecting you for a few more hours."

Trish looked at him, the heartbreak burning in her eyes, her voice trembling, "Yeah, I guess you thought you had a few more hours to get all your stuff out before I got home…what were you going to do? Leave a note? Or maybe a text message?" Her pent up anger slowly started seeping out once she realized he was trying to take the coward's way out.

"I wasn't going to leave before you got home. I just wanted to have everything packed."

The awkward silence began to take over the room as the two of them stared at each other, both trying to find the words they wanted to say.

"So you're leaving me?"

Ron looked down at the floor. He couldn't make eye contact with her. He didn't want to see her heart breaking.

"Look at me Ron. Are you leaving me?" She asked calmly, though her whole body was trembling with a mix of emotions.

"Trish, I…" he hesitated before picking up papers off the bed. "I want a divorce," his words coming out barely as a whisper.

Trish immediately started crying, her bottom lip quivering. "So that's it? You're not even going to try and make this work with me?"

Ron threw his hands up, "We've tried to make this work for months now! Let's not continue the torture!"

Trish threw a disgusted look at him, "Torture? Being married to me was torture?" Her knees felt weak. She can't believe he just called their marriage torture. She finally fell to the floor and began sobbing uncontrollably.

He bent down next to her, trying to comfort her. "No, Trish, being married to you wasn't torture. But I think that I had a preconceived idea as to what our marriage was going to be…and this isn't it."

Trish looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot with tears streaming down her face, "What did I do wrong?"

He sighed and sat next to her on the floor, the tears starting to build in his eyes as well, "You didn't do anything wrong. You know, the day you retired from wrestling, I thought we were finally going to have a normal life. A life where we both had normal jobs with no traveling…an 8 to 5 job where we would get to spend evenings and weekends with each other…away from the eyes of the media. But that's not you, is it? After wrestling, you went on that cop tv show. Then you started the yoga studio…next you made a yoga dvd and video game…then you were going back to wrestling to promote the dvd and video game…then you were on the tough enough tv show…then you started filming Bounty Hunters. It was at that point I realized that I was never going to have a normal wife that didn't need to be in the spotlight anymore. And I can't fault you for any of this, but it's not what I'm looking for in a wife. I want a wife that can focus her time on building a family…not traveling all over the place, doing tv promos. I thought you would open the yoga studio and that would be it. But let's face it…you're more in love with your work than you are with me."

Trish was speechless. She wasn't exactly sure what to say. She finally understood the disconnect between the two of them. He wanted a life that she couldn't give him and he had too much respect for her to ask her to change for him. But to say she loved her work more than him was not fair.

"How dare you say that I love my work more than you! The only reason why I let work consume me is because I can't have children and you refuse to adopt! How can we build a family if there are no children? You were my only family, but I didn't think I had to provide you with constant attention!"

"I'm not asking for constant attention! I just wanted a wife that was actually home instead of traveling everywhere! I thought you left the WWE for that main reason!"

Trish sat there in amazement. How could they both not realize just how wrong for each other they truly were? All she could do was whisper "How did you not realize this before we got married? We spent 15 years of our lives together before marriage. How could you not know the real me? And why didn't I see any of this?"

He shook his head, "I'm not sure. They always say love is blind. I thought you were the type of woman that I wanted. Maybe it just took me this long to figure out you're not. But I know instead of being unhappy, we should end things now before we hate each other and say things that we may regret or don't mean. Let's at least try to salvage a friendship."

She nodded. She wasn't sure if she wanted the divorce, but if it was what he wanted, she would grant him that wish. Why should she continue to fight for a marriage that he doesn't want? She stood and picked up the divorce papers, signing her name on the line. Her body felt numb after she handed him the papers. This was truly the end.

It was as if a montage of their life together began running through her mind. She envisioned all the happy times they had spent with each other….The first kisses and first dates, meeting each others parents, vacations, their proposal, and of course their wedding day and vows. It was then that she realized, life is series of moments, some good and some bad, and it's uncanny how within seconds, the consequences of these moments can change the paths of our lives forever. Yesterday she was married, and within seconds - BAM, she wasn't.

"What about the house?"

"What?" Trish asked, being pulled out of her epiphany. It was like she heard what he had asked, but she couldn't comprehend it.

"The house…do you want to buy me out?"

Trish shook her head, "I don't want the house…too many memories. Let's just sell it. We can divvy up the furniture as well."

Ron folded the papers, trying to accept the fact that their marriage was over. "Ok…I'll have my brother put it on the market for us."

* * *

><p>Randy walked into the kitchen after putting Al down for the night. He grabbed a beer from the fridge, cracked it, and sat down at the kitchen table. This was the first free moment he had to himself all day. Sam had gone to the movies with her mother and wasn't going to be home for another hour. He thought about how distant she's been with him today. He assumed she was mad at him but thought it was odd that she hasn't said anything. It's unlike Sam to not address something that's bothering her…when she's pissed, you better believe she's going to tell you.<p>

His thoughts moved from Sam to Trish. He couldn't help but wonder how things were going back home for her. Was she fighting with Ron, or making up, or maybe just avoiding him entirely? He thought about texting her, but quickly dismissed that thought. He was supposed to be concentrating on Sam and not thinking about Trish.

As he took another chug of beer, he noticed a cell phone sitting on the china cabinet. He stood up and walked over to it. It was a simple looking cell. He knew it wasn't Sam's…he bought her an iphone last year for her birthday. Suddenly, he heard Al crying in her room. He put the phone back down and headed up to her room. He assumed she had a nightmare which meant Daddy to the rescue!

An hour later Sam returned home to find Randy and Alannah watching Dora the Explorer in the living room. "What is she still doing up? I thought I told you to put her down at 8?"

Randy turned and smiled, "I did, but she had a nightmare."

"So?"

"So, I brought her downstairs to calm her down and hopefully get her to fall back asleep."

"By watching Dora? Yeah Randy, that'll put her to sleep." Sam bitterly spit out while walking over and picking Alannah off of Randy's lap.

"I'm sorry Sam, but I don't understand what the big deal is?"

"The big deal is that when she has nightmares, you rock her to sleep or lay with her in our bed until she falls back asleep! You don't let her stay up watching cartoons. Do you realize how much of a bear she's going to be tomorrow morning?"

"I tried to get her to fall back asleep. It wasn't working, so I resorted to my next idea. I'm sorry if my parenting skills aren't as wonderful as yours! I still don't understand what the big deal is!"

"The big deal is now she's going to want to watch cartoons every time she has a nightmare! And guess what, you won't be home to stay up with her so it'll be me! Like it normally is!"

"Like it normally is? So what do you want me to do Sam? Quit wrestling? Then how do you propose we make a living? We definitely won't be able to afford this house, and you'll have to go back to working full time as well. Is that what you want?"

"No, it's not what I want. I'm just frustrated! I'm practically raising her on my own! Then you come home swooping in like her hero! You never have to discipline her, or tell her no…I do! I'm always the bad guy!"

Sam stomped up the stairs with Alannah, making an attempt to put her to sleep. An hour later she came back down.

"I'm sorry Randy. I just get frustrated at times."

"I'm sorry too." He said, standing up and giving her a hug.

She pulled out of the hug sooner than Randy wanted. "It's fine. I'm going to go take a bath and go to bed. I'm exhausted."

Randy nodded as he watched her walk up the stairs. "Oh hey Sam, do you know whose cell that is in the kitchen?"

"What? What cell?"

"There's a cell phone in the kitchen sitting on the china shelf. Whose is it?"

"Oh! Um, it's Mackenzie's mother's phone. Mackenzie and Alannah had a play date earlier today before you came home. She accidentally left it here. I'm supposed to meet her tomorrow to give it to her."

Randy nodded as Sam continued up the stairs. He had this strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. She was being so distant and odd...something was wrong. Immediately the thought of cheating entered his mind, but he dismissed the thought. Why would Sam cheat on him when she's always so concerned with him being unfaithful? If she was cheating on him, she would care a less about what he does…or who for that matter. Other than her strange behavior, he had no reason to even think she would cheat on him. And he refused to be insecure with his marriage. He trusted her and that was the end of it. He's not going to resort to questioning her constantly like she does to him. He trusts and loves her…end of story


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

December 23 – 10 AM

_There comes a time when life attacks us from out of the darkness and throws everything off course. At times, we struggle to find the courage to face it. And during this struggle, this desperate moment, you must choose your path. Will you fight to stay on course? Or will you embrace a new direction? Will you be haunted by the choice you made? Each morning you choose to move forward or simply give up._

He pulled in the driveway and looked at the house. He'd been to her house before, but today it looked lifeless and empty. He got out of the car, walked up to the door and knocked. Silence.

He knew she was home. Her mother had called him and said she hadn't left it since she returned home yesterday morning. He began banging on the door this time, making it known that he was outside. Again, silence.

He sighed to himself. He bent over and started digging in the flower bed for the fake rock holding the spare key to get in. He would have never known to look there if she hadn't forgotten her key the first time she brought him to the house for a visit.

Within seconds, he found the key and had the door open. The house was barren. Other than the furniture, there was nothing else in the house that would even give an indication that someone lived there. He slowly climbed the stairs and made his way down the hall to her master bedroom. The door was cracked and the lights were off. As he nudged the door open, he could make out a lump under the covers. He assumed it must be her. He immediately drew the blinds, letting the sun pour in the room. Within seconds, the lump under the covers began moving.

"Hey, what the fuck?" Trish's head popped out from under the blanket. She began rubbing her eyes, trying to get adjusted to the light so she could better see her perpetrator. Her eyes were red and puffy, evidence that she had been crying. She had no makeup remaining on her face either. Her hair was knotted and messy, as if it hadn't been combed in days.

"Adam? What are you doing here?"

"Hi sweetie, or should I say smelly? I'm not really sure which one works better for you at this moment, though I'm leaning toward smelly…"

"Haha, very funny. What do you want? And again, what are you doing here?"

"Your mother called me. She's worried about you…she said you're not answering your phone and you wouldn't unlock the door."

"Yeah and somehow you still managed to find your way in." Trish said sarcastically, sitting up in bed.

"I guess you never told your mom about the spare key?" Adam sat down on the bed next to her.

"Nope…but I don't recall telling you about it either MacGyver." Within seconds she remembered when she took him to the house for the first time. "Nevermind…I guess I don't need to tell you about it when you watched me use it."

Adam chuckled while settling in against the headboard.

"So what do you want?"

"Come on Trish! What do I want? I want you to stop being dead to the outside world! Do you know how many people are worried about you? Let's list them. We have your mother, and your sisters, your aunts, Amy, Jay, oh and we can't forget to add me to that list as well."

Trish cursed under her breath, "Why are Amy and Jay concerned exactly? Wait, wait…let me guess. You told them."

"Well, not exactly, I mean, you're somewhat correct. Your mother called Amy. Amy was the one who told your mother to call me. And then I just so happened to be on the phone with Jay when she called me. So, I may or may not have mentioned it to him…"

"Well you don't have to worry about me cause I'm fine."

"Trish, you're not fine! You're life has just been turned upside down. Your heart is aching, your mind is running in overdrive, and you feel lost. I know this, because I've been through it. But things will get better I promise you."

Trish became hysterical. "Adam, I appreciate you coming over…I really do. But, I'm not sure you really know how I feel. I mean, yes, obviously my heart is aching. But do you have any idea just how lost I feel? 20 years Adam…20 years I've been with Ron. Do you realize how long that's been? He's been my life as far back as I can remember. And now he's gone. And I'm fighting with regret and abandonment…and love? My whole concept of love has been ripped apart. I'm trying to find some sort of meaning to my life that will make me want to get out of this bed and continue on. And to be honest with you, at this moment in time, I've got nothing. So if you don't mind, right now I just want to be left alone."

Adam grabbed Trish hands, "Trish, I…" She immediately pulled away from him. "I'm being very serious right now Adam! Please, just go! Get the fuck out!"

Adam was torn. He wasn't sure what to do. He had always regarded Trish as the sister he's never had. It's just, Amy used to handle the big issues like this. And she's never freaked out on him like this before. He sighed, "If that's what you want, then I'll leave. But I want you to know that being alone isn't going to make anything better. You need a support system to help guide you. If you need me, please call."

She nodded as she tucked back down under the covers. Adam drew the blinds before he left the room. On his way out, he stopped in the kitchen and hid all the sharp objects…anything that she could possibly use to inflict harm to herself…just as a precaution.

* * *

><p><em>There comes a time when every life goes off course. In this desperate moment who will you choose to be? Will you bravely face your greatest fear and move forward with faith? Or will you succumb to the darkness in your soul? <em>

Amy picked up the cell as soon as it rang. "Adam, is she ok? Are you with her?"

"I just left. Ames, she's a mess. No wait, that doesn't even properly describe it…she's a disaster. She kicked me out…said she wanted to be alone."

"And you just left? You didn't put up a fight? You didn't try to talk to her?" Amy was irate. She should never send a man to do a woman's job. Unfortunately, Amy was currently in Nicaragua and nowhere near an airport.

"Yes, Amy, I tried to tell her I was staying. She freaked out and screamed at me to get out! I tried to talk to her, she wasn't hearing any of it. You were the one to always talk her down when she needed advice! Who the hell does she confide in today? What girls does she travel with her now?"

"Not a she, Adam, but a he. She's been travelling with Randy. She said they've gotten pretty close, but I'm not sure she how much she's confided in him. Let me try and give him a call. Maybe he can call her and calm her down or something."

"I don't think so Ames, she's not picking up her phone. She has it on silent and to be honest, I don't think she would even care if the damn thing shut down."

"I'm still calling him. I'll talk to you later. Merry Christmas…and tell your family the same."

* * *

><p><em>When life comes rushing at you from out of the darkness, will you let down your defenses and reach out to someone? Who will you choose to help face it? Will you find comfort in someone unexpected? Will it be someone you trust? Will their love for you help them to guide you to the light? Or will they lose their way in the darkness? <em>

December 23, 11 AM

Randy picked up his cell as he made Alannah a snack. "Hello?"

"Hey Randy, its Amy."

"Amy! Hey stranger! I haven't heard from you in a really long time! How are things going?"

"Things are going pretty well for me right now Randy, but I didn't call to catch up. I mean, I know we have to, but there's a more pressing matter at hand right now."

Randy's smile instantly faded, he could tell something was wrong…it was evident in her voice. Amy was always cool and collected and right now, she was talking a mile a minute. He's honestly never heard her sound so scared before. "What's wrong?"

"It's Trish…"

Randy's heart started pounding. He automatically started to fear the worst and knew in the pit of his stomach it had to do with Ron. "What happened? What did he do to her?"

Amy was taken aback; she's never heard Randy sound so worried before. She assumed Trish must have confided in him about her situation with Ron. "Ron packed up all his things…he moved out. He asked her for a divorce."

Randy's heart fell. He felt awful for Trish, but also felt a sigh of relief because he knew they weren't right for each other. "How's she handling it?"

"Not well, that's why I'm calling you. I don't know how close the two of you have gotten, but I don't know who else to turn to." Amy started to become frantic, "Adam tried to stop over today to see her but she threw him out. He said she was a disaster…she's extremely lost and confused and she's pushing everyone away. She hasn't been out of bed since yesterday morning. She's locked away in that house in her room, hiding under the covers with no lights on. And she's not answering her cell phone. And I'm stuck in Nicaragua. The soonest I can get home would be the day after Christmas. Randy I'm scared."

"Ok Amy, first I need you to calm down. Trish is a logical thinker. She isn't depressive or anything like that, so I'm sure we are just blowing this out of proportion."

Amy sniffled, "I'm sure we are…I mean I hope we are. I just…I just think back to Chris and the horrific tragedy with…" She didn't finish. It was still hard to talk about what had happened with Chris Benoit so many years ago. The WWE had written it off and pretty much erased him from history. But that day will always burn in his friend's minds and hearts. "I just don't want to look back and regret saying, we should've done something more."

Randy sat down, his brain on the same page as Amy's. Neither of them thought Trish would do something like that, but no one thought Benoit would either. "Shit…" he ran his hand through his hair. "I'll see if I can get a last minute ticket up there. I'll fly up and see if I can talk her down from the ledge she's dangling from."

"Randy, that's nuts! Christmas is in two days!"

"What else do you propose we do? If her family isn't getting through to her, and Adam failed as well, I'm like the last hope. I mean, I'll have to come home tomorrow morning…since it is Christmas Eve and all. But hopefully I can get her out of the mode she's in."

"Thanks Randy…you know, she's mentioned the friendship the two of you were forming. You obviously have gotten closer since the last time I talked to her. That's a really great thing. She's really lucky to have someone like you in her life. I'll text you her address. The spare key is in a rock on the left side in a flower garden. I'll call you later on tonight to see how things are going."

Randy ran up stairs and started packing an overnight bag. It could have been the quickest pack job he's ever done. He walked into the living room to a concerned Sam. "What's wrong? Why did you pack a bag? What's going on?"

"I need to get a flight to Toronto as soon as possible. Trish is going through an extremely dark place in life right now and is shutting everyone out. I'm going to see if I can get through to her."

"Trish Stratus? When did you become such great friends with her?"

Randy sighed, he had been meaning to tell Sam that he'd been traveling with her, but just hadn't found the right moment yet. And though now was not the opportune moment, there was no way to avoid it. "We've been traveling together a lot since she's made her return. Since both of us appear on RAW, we decided to ride together to save on money. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I thought you would be irate."

Sam was silent for a few minutes, "Why would I be irate? I trust you…you're allowed to have girl-friends. Why is she in a dark place?"

Randy was surprised. She was ok with this? She trusts him? Since when? "She's getting a divorce from her husband who she's been in a relationship with for 20 years."

"Wow, that must be really hard to deal with…but Randy, what about Christmas? You're not going to choose her over your family are you?"

"God no Sam! I'm going to take the first flight home tomorrow morning. I'll be home in time for your family's Christmas Eve get together."

Sam nodded as she stood and lifted Alannah. "Al, give you daddy a kiss, he has to go work for a day, but he'll be back tomorrow."

"By Dadda!"

"Bye Sweetie. I love you both."

Both Sam and Alannah kissed Randy as he walked out the door.

* * *

><p><em>Life can come rushing at you from out of the darkness, and when it does - is there someone in your life you can count on? Someone who will watch over you when you stumble and fall? And in that moment, give you the strength to face your fears alone?<em>

December 23, 4 PM

Randy easily found the rock with the spare key and let himself in. He'd never been to her house before, so he headed upstairs, trying to find the master bedroom. As he walked down the hall, all the doors were open except for one and he assumed that's where she was. As he pushed open the door, he could hear her sobbing from under the blanket.

Suddenly, she shot up from under the covers, screaming, "ADAM! I thought I told you to leave me the fuck alone!"

Randy flipped on the light switch and couldn't believe the image he saw in front of him. It was like she was a shell of her former self. Her eyes were red, swollen, and bloodshot, her hair was a disaster, her cheeks were puffy and irritated, and the dark circles under her eyes almost resembled black eyes from lack of sleep.

"Randy! Oh my god! What are you doing here? How did you…"

He instantly moved toward her and embraced her in a hug. "Amy called me. She is worried sick about you…and so am I for that matter."

Trish broke down into tears in his arms. She buried her head in his chest and sobbed. Randy sat down on the bed and held her in his arms. He didn't say anything…he just let her cry. He tried soothing her by running a hand down her head and rubbing her back. She cried for at least an hour before she fell asleep in his arms.

Randy assumed it was the first time she'd slept since yesterday. He thought about getting up, but couldn't pull himself to let her go. She seemed so peaceful sleeping. And he didn't want to disturb her either. So he laid there and listened to her breathing. Even though she hadn't showered in two days, he still thought she smelled wonderful.

Trish woke about an hour later to find Randy still holding her. "Oh, I'm sorry Randy. You know you didn't have to lay here with me."

He smiled, "I was afraid I'd wake you if I moved. You look exhausted."

She nodded, "Yea, I couldn't sleep last night…so I packed my things."

Randy looked around the room. "Trish, there are only four boxes in here. You're a woman, you have to have more things than this."

Trish looked down and started twirling her wedding ring that still remained on her finger. "Well, once I started packing, I realized almost everything reminded me of him…and I want to forget about those memories, so I threw them all away."

Randy frowned, "Don't you think you're going to regret that someday?"

Trish started crying again, "No…what I regret is wasting 20 years of my life on him."

"You know…I'm not a huge fan of regret. You should never regret the decisions you make in your life…because there is always something to be learned from every situation. You may not realize the lesson yet, but one day you will. And then you'll be thankful for that so-called regretful decision."

"Maybe you're right. Randy, I don't even know where to start. How do I even begin to get over this?"

"Well, you can start by putting one foot in front of the other. You don't have to take huge steps, but you also can't lie in this bed for the rest of your life. So, how about we focus on your first steps being, to stand up, and get out of this room. Then, we'll work on a shower, and then getting out of this house. And if you're not ready yet, then that's fine. But you at least have to try."

Trish's crying lessened and she took a deep breath. "You're right…I can't lie here forever."

Trish got up out of bed and started pacing around the room. "Are you hungry? You must be…"

Randy smiled, "Yes, I am a little hungry. Want to go raid the kitchen?"

She nodded as they headed downstairs.

After taking an hour to find the knives that Adam had hid, Trish had salmon in the oven and a salad put together. Randy watched as she cooked. She obviously enjoyed it. She seemed to be at peace as she made their meal. It was probably the time in two days that her mind wasn't focused on Ron.

"So, how did you manage to fly up here on such short notice? I mean, how did Sam take it?"

Randy sighed, "Well after I got off the phone with Amy, I packed a bag in like 5 minutes." He chuckled lightly, thinking about how worked up he was…she had him so worried. "Then I just came out and told Sam that we'd been traveling together. It wasn't exactly the most opportune moment to tell her, but what are you going to do?"

"And she was ok with everything?"

"Yeah, amazingly she was. She was so understanding. She even told me I was allowed to have girlfriends."

"Oh Randy, that's great! It sounds like she's getting over her trust issues?"

Randy looked down and played with his food, "Yea, I guess. I don't know…she's been acting weird lately. I can't help but think something is wrong."

"Maybe she's just stressed with the holidays…ya know?"

Randy shrugged, "Possibly. So…do you want to talk about things, or is too much right now?"

Trish looked down and then made eye contact with him. "I came home yesterday morning and all of his things were packed. He said he wasn't trying to leave before I got home, but wanted to have everything ready. I thought he was leaving me, but then he presented me with divorce papers. He said he wanted a wife that didn't need to be in the spotlight all the time. He said I was more in love with my job than I was with him."

"I can't believe he gave up so quickly. You would think he would've taken more time to try and work things out…because 20 years is a long time."

Trish nodded, "I've been wondering the same thing. Maybe he's known this for a long time, but was just lying to himself. I don't know for sure, but if I'm not the type of woman he wants to be with, then why continue being unhappy?"

There was a long silence between the two of them. "I feel like I have no idea who I am anymore."

Randy looked at her, and put his hands over hers, "Don't say that…you know who you are. You're Trish Fucking Stratus. You're a strong, independent, beautiful, driven woman who would never let a man define her. He was a piece of your life Trish…he wasn't your entire life. You need to tell yourself that any time you feel lost."

Trish gave him a weak smile, "You are so wise…when did you become so smart?"

Randy chuckled, "When I took a step back and looked at the man that I had become. I hurt so many women, made so many enemies. I was cocky, arrogant, and disrespectful. I needed an attitude adjustment and I realized that no one could help me except myself. I was my own worst enemy."

"So what do you say about getting out of this house for a little bit? Is there anything fun to do around here?"

Trish hesitated at first and then nodded, "Actually, there is…how are you on skates?"

"You mean, like ice skating?"

She giggled, "Yeah!"

"Not very good…are you sure we should be partaking in a sport that could cause us injury? I'm sure Mr. McMahon would not be happy about this."

"Oh please, the only thing you'll hurt is your ego when you fall on your ass! I'm going to shower quickly and then we can go."

Once he heard the water running upstairs, he called Amy. "Hey, I'm here. I got here around 4."

"Is she ok?"

"Yeah, she's alright. I mean, she's obviously hurting. But her crying has slowed down and she's speaking. I even got her laughing."

Amy sighed, "Thank you Randy. I was so worried about her."

"I think everyone is. But I'm working on her. She's in the shower now. I'm getting her out of this house for a little bit. Then I'm going to try and get her to her mother's tomorrow morning before my flight leaves."

"What time does your flight leave?"

"At one. I'll try to convince her to call you too."

"Thank you so much Randy! She really is lucky to have you in her life!"

"Well, she's lucky to have you too Amy. Remember, I wouldn't be here if you hadn't called me. I'll talk to you later Amy."

He ended the call and sat down on the couch. If someone would have told him a year ago that he'd be sitting in Trish Stratus' living room, he would have laughed at them. But, within three months, she had spun into his life like a whirlwind and created these feelings that he's been trying to deny ever since. It was at that point he finally admitted to himself, he's flirting with danger.


	15. Chapter 15

Sorry it took so long to update everyone! Here you go though! Chapter 15!

Chapter 15

Randy woke up in the middle of the night to noises coming from downstairs. He found Trish in the living room packing up some more of her things. "Trish, what are you doing?"

She jumped, startled by his presence. "God, Randy, you scared me!" She glanced around the room and noticed she had three more boxes packed and at least 3 more labeled trash. "I couldn't sleep again and instead of laying there and thinking about things, I thought I'd keep myself busy."

He sat down on the couch, rubbing his eyes. It took a moment for Trish to realize that he only had on a pair of pajama bottoms. They were tied very loosely to his body, displaying every muscle group perfectly. Trish found herself undressing him with her eyes…not that there was much more to undress.

"Trish you really should try to get some sleep. You're running on like 3 hours of sleep in two days now."

Randy took in what Trish was wearing. She had on a pair of short pink striped boy shorts with a white tank top. She wasn't wearing a bra and Randy found it hard to take his eyes off of her. Trish quickly noticed him staring and picked up her robe that was on a chair and wrapped it around her.

"I know that…it's just hard sleeping in that room. It feels so empty…"

"Do you want me to lay down with you until you fall asleep?"

Trish chuckled, "No…don't be crazy. I'll be ok."

Randy stood up and moved toward her. He reached out his hand for hers. "Come on, I'll lay down with you for a bit. I'm not taking no for an answer."

Trish's heart was racing. She couldn't focus on anything except the pajama bottoms hanging off of his hips. She extended and accepted his hand, nodded and choked out, "Ok..."

Trish watched Randy sleep through the darkness. It was hard for her to explain the intricacies of their relationship. In a very little amount of time, they had developed a friendship on a deeper level than any other of her friends. Besides Amy, there was no one else she would confide all her deepest darkest secrets to…but now she could easily say Randy was an exception. The more she thought about it, she actually had been confiding in Randy even more so than Amy.

But is it normal to be attracted to a friend on so many levels? Obviously Randy was a gorgeous individual. That may be putting it modestly…he's so attractive you would think he had descended from the blood lines of the Greek or Roman Gods. But once you get past the chiseled body, mesmerizing blue eyes, and sexy smirk, there is so much more to him. He's worked so hard to change the stereotype so many people were quick to brand him with. He's full of passion and knowledge when it comes to his life and has this amazing insight when it comes to his own personal problems, or even Trish's for that matter and always seems to say the right thing. He is also somewhat sensitive and shy around Trish, two things most of Randy's friends would never categorize him as. The character the fans see is so far from the real Randy.

She realized that they had an unspoken connection as well. She could be across the room from him and he would know if something was bothering her, or if she was amused by something, or found something funny. And if the situation were reversed, she would know whatever was on his mind as well. She had that connection with Ron as well; however, it took years to develop. It was never as immediate as the connection with Randy.

"Thank you for coming here. I'm not even sure just saying thank you is enough. I feel like I owe you so much more."

"You don't have to thank me for anything. Trish, anytime you need me, I'll be here. Now close your eyes and please try to get some sleep."

* * *

><p>Trish woke up the next morning to two arms securely wrapped around her. It was the classic spooning position that she found herself wrapped up in with Randy and everything about it felt right. As she lay in his arms, she wasn't sure if it was the mere point of human contact that felt good, or if it was because it was Randy that was holding her. Regardless of the reason, Trish knew she should not be in this position with him, but she didn't want to pull herself away. Suddenly, she felt a poke in her backside and realized that she wasn't the only person liking the situation. She quickly decided it was time to get out of this position. She yawned and started to wiggle herself out of his arms, trying to play it off as if she was waking up.<p>

Randy stirred as soon as she moved, instantly realizing the position they were in and removed his arms from around her. "Oh, uh, sorry about that…I guess it's just a habit. Sam is all about spooning." He lied, Sam hated spooning. To be honest, Sam wasn't very big on cuddling at all. He then noticed his 'morning wood' had arrived as well and blushed immediately. "Yeah…um…sorry about that too."

Trish giggled, "Its fine. It's like a guy thing right? It would be weird if it didn't happen. So, it just goes to show, everything must be working properly down there." She tried to make light of the situation but felt ridiculous for even making the statement. _'Everything must be working properly down there? Seriously Trish? You couldn't think of anything better than that?'_

Randy laughed and scratched his head, "Yeah, I guess so…um, what time is it?"

Trish turned and looked at the clock, "Its 7 AM…sorry I woke you. It's so early."

"No, it's actually fine. I was hoping we could get some breakfast somewhere and then I really want to get you over to your parent's house."

Trish rolled her eyes, "I don't need a babysitter. I'm fine Randy, really."

He shook his head adamantly, "I didn't say you needed one, but I promised Amy I would get you to your parent's house since they are worried sick about you."

She sighed, "Well, I guess we will be killing two birds with one stone then because it just so happens my mom cooks a huge breakfast every Christmas Eve morning. It's a tradition."

Randy smiled, "Am I going to get to meet the Stratigias clan? Wow! What an honor! We better get showered then…gotta dress to impress!"

* * *

><p>Trish and Randy pulled into her parent's driveway around 8:30 that morning. Her mother came running out of the house as soon as she saw her car pull in. She ran up and engulfed Trish in a hug. "Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry! But I promise you'll get through this!" She pulled away from Trish, still firmly holding onto her arms and began shaking her, "But so help me God, if you scare me like this again I'm going to kill you!" Trish chuckled, trying hold the tears in. She wanted to appear strong for her parents, even though she was barely holding onto a thread of strength. Randy had made his way around the car by this point and smiled genuinely at her mother.<p>

"Mom, I'd like you meet Randy Orton. He's a…"

"Oh I know who he is!" She said, cutting Trish off and giving Randy an overwhelming hug that caught him off guard. He chuckled and embraced her back. It felt nice to receive such a warm welcoming. "Thank you for coming out here on such short notice! And so close to Christmas…she's really lucky to have you!"

Randy blushed slightly, "It's really no problem Mrs. Stratigias. We were all worried about her, so of course I'm going to be there for her."

"Oh where are my manners! You can call me Alice, Randy…no Mrs. Stratigias for you! Close friends of Trish's get to call me by my first name! Come on inside both of you, it's freezing out here!" With that, she led them both into the house where Trish's father stood at the door.

Randy extended his hand, being the first to enter the house. "Hello Sir, I'm Randy."

He shook Randy's hand, "Please Randy, call me John. Thank you for coming up here and helping us out."

"My pleasure, sir. I mean, John."

Trish came inside and gave her father a hug. "I'm sorry I scared you dad."

He chuckled lightly, "Trisha, so as long as you're ok, I'm ok too."

Randy took in the house as Alice led them to the kitchen. The house smelled of breakfast foods, which made Randy's stomach start grumbling. There's something about walking into a house that smelled of home cooked food that makes it more inviting. Maybe that was one of the things he missed most about travelling all the time. You rarely got to smell the home cooked goodness.

As he looked around, he saw some older pictures of Trish and her sisters hanging on the walls, as well as other family members. He noticed there wasn't a single picture of Ron around. He thought that to be a little odd, but assumed Alice probably hid them so that Trish wouldn't focus on them.

"Please Randy, have a seat! What can I offer you to drink? Coffee, orange juice, tea?"

"Coffee would be great Alice, thanks!"

Trish poured two cups of coffee, one for herself, and one for Randy. Since traveling with him so frequently, she knew exactly the way he liked it. She sat down next to him at the table.

"Would you like a muffin while we wait? They are homemade. Chris and Missy should be arriving any minute." Trish asked, extending a basket of muffins toward him.

He took one from the basket, regretting it immediately as he knew he was going to be gorging himself on food. As he bit into it, he realized it may have been the best muffin he's ever eaten.

"Randy, what time does your flight leave today? I hope not too early."

"It leaves around one, Alice. So I should be able to hang out till about eleven?"

She nodded, "Yes, the security doesn't take too long to get through leaving Toronto. They seem to have the system down pat. But, since it's Christmas Eve, it will probably be crowded."

Suddenly, Trish's sisters Christie and Melissa barged into the kitchen. "Oh my God! I can't believe you got her out of that house!"

Trish rolled her eyes as she stood and gave them both hugs. "You must be Randy!" Melissa said as she approached him, "I'm Missy. It's nice to meet you!" Chris came and stood right behind Missy, getting a better look at Randy. "Wow Trish, he's even better looking in person! By the way, I'm Chris!"

Randy chuckled and noticed Trish was turning about 20 shades of red. "Thanks I guess…it's really nice to meet you both!"

Everyone proceeded to sit down at the table while Alice brought over all the food. Randy couldn't believe how much food there was. Other than the muffins, Alice had made eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast, sausage, bacon, and hash browns. "Alice, this is so much food! I don't even know where to start!" Randy said as he started loading up his plate.

"Well, what can I say? Missy likes pancakes, Chris loves her french toast, and Trish can't live without waffles. And of course no one can agree on the sausage versus bacon either!"

Everyone started laughing, but ate in silence for a few minutes until Missy spoke. "So, Randy, how the hell did you manage to get Trish out of that house? We all tried and failed miserably."

Randy shrugged, "Well, for one, I used the spare key to get in. And then I don't know…I guess just talked her."

Alice's eyes grew wide, "You had a spare key and never told us!"

Trish winced, "I was so busy, I must have forgotten to mention it. But, at least you know now!" She elbowed Randy in the side, "Thanks a lot!"

Everyone made small talk at the table, all in separate conversations. Missy and Chris kept throwing knowingly glances to each other and then back to Randy and Trish, watching each of them stealing food from each other's plate.

Once everyone was done with breakfast, Randy, John and Alice moved into the living room while Missy, Chris, and Trish cleaned up. "So what's up with you and Randy?" Missy asked, as she threw a dish towel to Trish.

Trish looked innocently at her, "What do you mean? He's a friend of mine."

Chris started laughing, "Sure he is." Missy started laughing at this point as well.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh come on Trish! We both saw the looks you were giving each other! If I wouldn't know any better, I'd say the two of you are smitten with each other!"

Missy nodded in agreement, "Oh Chris, do you remember the fling Trish had with Tommy Jackson? I'm seeing a connection here…"

Trish rolled her eyes, "Oh please! Nothing ever happened with Tommy Jackson!"

Chris nodded, "That's right! And if I remember correctly, that was because you signed with the WWE and left before anything could go any further!"

"That's not true Chris! I was dating Ron at that point in time!"

Missy slowly nodded, "Yes, you were…and you were considering ending things with him because of the crush you had on Tommy! How do you not remember any of this?"

Trish looked away, "I never said I didn't remember any of it…I'm just pretending like I don't! Because you're comparing Randy to Tommy and there is no comparison! Randy and I are just friends! Besides, he's happily married and has a little girl!"

"Damn! I was thinking of hitting on him!" Chris joked. All three of them started laughing hysterically as they finished the dishes and exited the kitchen to join Randy and their parents in the living room.

"Oh mom! You didn't pull out the baby pictures did you? Seriously!" Chris yelled as she noticed the big photo album on Randy's lap.

"Come on girls! You three are so cute, how could a guy like me resist?" Randy joked as he held up a picture of the three of them around the ages of 6, 4, and 1.

All three of them started blushing and sat down on the couch. "If you tell anyone about these pictures, I will kill you in your sleep you hear me Orton!" Trish said, looking Randy straight in the eyes.

"Hey, don't worry Trish, your secret is safe with me!" Randy joked, laughing hysterically.

Missy jumped in, "Hey! This isn't a laughing matter! You don't want her pissed at you! Not to mention, me and Chris too! We'll hand your ass to you on a plate!"

Randy raised his hands in defeat. "Cross my heart, hope to die!"

Trish looked at the clock and realized they should be heading out. "Randy, it's about 10:30. If I'm going to have you to the airport by 11, we should be leaving now."

The smile immediately left his lips. He was having such a great time with Trish's family, he didn't want to leave. They had such nice and warm personalities. He felt right at home with them. Alice and John seemed to really like him, and he was immediately able to joke with Missy and Chris. He could remember back when he met Sam's family for the first time. They were all so quiet and shy. It took him months to break through their barriers.

The interaction with Trish's family was everything he had wanted and more. If anything, it added to the attraction he was feeling for Trish. "Yeah Trish, you're right. We should get on the road."

Everyone stood as they walked him to the door. Chris and Missy both gave Randy a hug, "It was really nice to meet you!" They both practically said in unison, "Don't be a stranger!"

He nodded, "It was great getting to meet you both! Trish has her hands full with you two!"

Alice hugged him next, "Honestly, Randy, you're welcome anytime you'd like! It was so nice meeting you!"

He returned Alice's hug and shook John's hand once more. "Thank you both for having me. Breakfast was amazing!"

He jumped in Trish's car, waving goodbye out the window as they pulled away and headed towards the airport.

Within 30 minutes, Trish was pulling up to the departure drop off. He grabbed his bag out of the trunk and then embraced her in a hug. "Are you going to be ok?"

She nodded, still wrapped in his arms "Yes, I'm going to stay at my mom's until its time to leave."

He held her a few seconds longer, neither of them wanting to break the hold. She pulled away enough to make eye contact with him "Merry Christmas Randy."

"Merry Christmas Trish. I'll see you in two days right?"

"Yup, I'll text you when I land in Columbus."

He nodded and reluctantly released Trish from his arms. With that, he turned and walked into the airport. It took everything he had not to turn around and stay. He watched as Trish got in the car and drove away.


	16. Chapter 16

Hi everyone! Sorry it's taken me so long to update! So much has been going on in my life I haven't found the time to write at all! But, here is another chapter for everyone! Sorry for the extreme delay!

Chapter 16

Christmas came and went and Trish found herself happy to be back on the road. She had spent the remainder of her Christmas vacation at her parent's house. Her mother and sisters had gone back to Trish's house with her one more time, to pack up some of her remaining things. She found it sad that she was able to pack her entire life up in three days essentially. She also was able to find a lawyer to represent her in the divorce. Granted, they had signed prenups before the marriage, so there really wasn't much to fight over, more or less just splitting it all up.

Ron did own a portion of Stratusphere, as he provided some of the start up costs for Trish. She needed to figure out how much she owed him, and if she could afford to pay him off. Otherwise, she was going to have to find someone else to back her and basically invest in her company.

She waited patiently in the Columbus airport for Randy. His flight was scheduled to land about an hour after hers. She found herself missing him and it had only been two days since she last saw him. She was concerned with the extent of how much she truly did miss him. First off, he's married…she needed to keep boundaries set. But secondly, she hoped that she wasn't allowing Randy to fill the new void in her life. She didn't believe that to be the case, but she found herself thinking about him all the time…even more so than Ron. So it only seemed natural to ask herself the question, why?

Granted, out of everyone, Randy seemed to give her the most strength to try and move forward with her life. It's not that her family didn't give her strength, but she felt like she had to create an illusion that she wasn't having a problem with the divorce. With Randy, she could break into a million pieces and he would coolly and collectively put her back together, where her family would be franticly trying to fix her. She didn't fault them for it; it's just the way her family was wired.

Trish was coping in her own way, of course. She had plenty of sad mixes put together with songs that perfectly reflected the way she felt. She had brought along a plethora of sappy movies, prepared to either ball her eyes out, or criticize how quickly people fall in love in movies and how unrealistic it truly is. And she had Amy's number on speed dial if she needed a shoulder to cry on.

"There's my girl!" Randy yelled, running up to Trish, picking her up off the chair and into a hug. He didn't care that he was making a scene in the middle of the airport either. He had a wonderful Christmas with Alanna and Sam, but he also missed Trish like crazy.

She laughed as he picked her up and spun her around twice. "Randy stop! People are staring! They're going to call security on your ass!" He put her down and picked up her bags. "So how was your Christmas?"

Trish smiled, "It was nice. Obviously very different this year, but I had a really nice time getting to see all my family. What about yours?"

"It was great…spent some time with Sam's family on Christmas Eve, and then my family on Christmas day. Alanna was so surprised this year with all the presents from Santa. I didn't realize how much I had bought her!"

"Uh oh! How did Sam like that?"

He laughed and rolled his eyes, "She was pissed of course. She had done most of the shopping, but after landed in St. Louis, I stopped out to buy a last minute gift. There were so many good deals, I couldn't pass them up!"

They made their way through the airport and to the car rental window. It was at that point he realized Trish had finally taken off her wedding ring. He grabbed her left hand and held it up, "I see you've finally taken it off?"

She nodded, "I think I've finally come to the realization that this is really happening and he's not coming back."

"Have you heard from him recently?"

She nodded, "He called me on Christmas night to see how I was doing and to wish my family a Merry Christmas. I think I got some closure. I asked him why he gave up on us so quickly. He told me that it wasn't a quick decision. He'd been thinking about it even before I left to come back to the WWE. He said he just kept lying to himself that this was the life he wanted. Then one morning, he woke up and said he knew he just had to do it because he wasn't happy."

Randy nodded, deciding it best to change the subject. He didn't want her dwelling on Ron…he wasn't worth her time. But, he also didn't want Trish to have a breakdown in a public place, though she appeared to be doing much better than the last time he saw her. It probably helped getting out of Toronto. Coming back to work would take her mind off of him.

"Woo woo woo!"

Trish and Randy started laughing and turned around to find Matt walking towards them both. "What's up beautiful?"

Trish chuckled, though Randy responded, "Oh not much sexy!"

"Yeah…I was talking to Trish…not you bro! But I think you already know that! Your mug's too ugly to call it beautiful!"

"How was your Christmas Matt?" Trish asked, signing the final form to the car rental.

"It was good…I got to go back to Long Island to visit the fam, so I can't complain! Yo Randy, are you still having that New Year's Eve party?"

Randy's eyes lit up, "Yeah man, I am! Trish, I forgot to tell you about it. If you're interested, I'm throwing an annual new years party at my house! We've had one for the past 3 years now. I think it's safe to call it a tradition. Tons of people will be there...it should be a blast!"

Matt nodded, "Yes, Trish…yours truly will be going, so of course it's going to be off the charts!"

Trish laughed, "Um, maybe…I mean, it seems pointless to fly home for only two nights…who's all coming?"

"Let's see…John and Liz are coming, Nick, Matt of course, Cody, Ted, Brie and Stefanie, and I believe Eve and AJ. And of course, a shit load of people that you won't know. I think everyone is leaving after the house show in Nashville."

She thought about it for a moment, "Is there anything fun to do in St. Louis? I'll have a whole day to kill out there if I drive out after Nashville."

Matt cut Randy off before he could get in another word, "If you'd like, you can ride down with me. We could get you a room in the same hotel I'm staying at. And then we could do some sightseeing on Friday. And of course, you could be my date on New Years? You'll make me the most admired man in the house!"

She started laughing and nodded, "That actually sounds like a lot of fun! Ok, you're on! I'm in!"

Randy swallowed hard. If he wasn't mistaken, it seemed as though Matt was hitting on Trish and that bothered him. He knew he shouldn't let it, but Trish was in such a fragile state, he didn't want Matt taking advantage of her…at least that's what he was telling himself…it had absolutely nothing to do with jealousy.

* * *

><p>Trish and Randy made their way into the arena after stopping to sign a few autographs for fans. She thought Randy was being oddly quiet on the ride over, but decided against questioning him about it.<p>

"Do you want to work on any more moves today?"

Trish had a flashback to the last time they worked out together. The butterflies started flying around in her stomach instantly, "Uh, sure…I mean, I could always use the practice. If you're willing to, that is."

He smiled at her, "Do you honestly think I'd say no to you?"

She smiled and shook her head, "I don't think you know the meaning of the word 'no'."

He never realized just how good it felt to make her smile. She was so beautiful, and when she smiled because of something he did or said, it made him gush with happiness. With all the peaks and valleys that life was throwing at her, the fact that he could make her smile when she was in one of those valleys, had to stand for something.

They had been standing there smiling at each other for a few seconds when John came over. "Hey guys, I uh, hate to break up whatever this moment is going on between the two of you, but I was wondering if I could grab Randy to catch up?"

Both of them snapped out of the trance they were in. "Yeah John! No problem! I was actually just going to find the girls. So I'll see both of you later."

"Hey, I'll see you in the ring? Same time as usual?"

She turned and glanced back at Randy smiling, "Yes, same time!"

Randy turned his attention to John, who had a weird look on his face. "What?"

"Nothing man…I didn't say a word!"

"I realize that, but I know that look!"

"No look here! I'm not judging…not by business, not my place!" John gave him a punch in the arm, "Come on, I want to hear about your Christmas!"

* * *

><p>Trish went down to the ring and joined Nattie and Beth within the square. "Hey ladies! How were your holidays?"<p>

Both women nodded, "Good. And yours?"

Trish smiled; she noticed both of them had eager looks on their faces. The look resembled that of a five year old child who was just handed a present. "Mine was good…what's up with these looks you're giving me?"

Both women glanced at each other and smiled. Beth started, "So…Nattie and I had an idea we wanted to throw by you. An idea for a match…"

Trish nodded, "Ok, you caught my interest."

Nattie continued, "It's a match that has never been done before…by women anyway."

Beth nodded, "And we were thinking of pushing it for Wrestlemania."

Trish laughed, "Ok, just tell me already! The suspense is killing me!"

Both women laughed, and Nattie finally blurted it out, "We want to do a tag team TLC match."

She thought about the possibilities for a few minutes. "I'm not sure any of the divas have progressed enough for me to tag with. Maybe it should be a singles match between the two of you? I mean, don't get me wrong, I would love to work that match, but I'm not sure who we would get to be my partner."

Beth nodded, "We thought you would say that. So we were thinking…what are the odds of getting Amy to come back…if only for a month or two? It could be like 'Pin-Up Strong vs. Pin-Up Legends'."

Trish smiled and laughed, "I'm digging it! The storyline is there…we just need Amy. I'm in! It's just going to take lots of persuasion. I don't know if Amy's even thought of returning. But, it's worth a shot!"

"So, I guess then we should mention this to creative?"

Trish shook her head. "Not yet. I want to make sure Amy is in before we say anything. And then we'll take this directly to Stefanie. I don't want to waste our time…we're gonna take it the whole way to the top!"

* * *

><p>Trish sat backstage during Raw. She wasn't set to perform tonight, but did shoot a promo earlier in the evening. While she waited for Randy's match to finish, she decided to try and give Amy a call. She couldn't wait to try and talk her into doing the TLC match.<p>

"Trish! Hi! How are you?"

Trish chuckled, "I'm ok! How was Nicaragua?"

"Bitch, I'm still here! We don't leave to come home until tomorrow, remember?"

"Really? I must be getting my days confused. God, you're so luck! See, I messed up! I should've bought property somewhere down south instead of opening a yoga studio! What the hell was I thinking?"

Amy laughed, "Yeah, but then you'd never come vacation with me!"

"This is true! So, I have a proposition for you…"

Amy sighed, "Why am I not surprised? Ok, what is it?"

"Well, Beth and Nattie had an idea for a match at Wrestlemania. But we want it to be a tag match and we need to get someone to team with me."

"So? Aren't there like twenty different divas to choose from?"

"Yeah, but this is a special match…I need someone with more experience. You know, someone like you!"

"Now I see where you're going with this…you want me to come back for Wrestlemania."

"Yes! You're coming back for an autograph session anyway, why not wrestle in it?"

"What kind of match are you three dreaming up anyway?"

"We want to do a tag team TLC match."

There was silence on Amy's end of the phone. Trish knew this was good…this meant she was seriously thinking about it.

"I don't know Trish, I haven't wrestled in over 5 years. This may be too much for me to handle…don't you think?

"Ames, come on! You're in better physical shape than you were when you were still wrestling. We just have to knock some of the ring rust off of you! Besides, it's like riding a bike…you never really forget how."

Amy laughed, "So I'm assuming you're going to want me to come back before Wrestlemania then?"

"Well, we were thinking you could make an appearance at the Elimination Chamber. I mean, we have to talk it over with creative still, but I think that would be the perfect lead in. I'm winning the title at the Rumble this year and I'll probably defend it against Beth one last time at the Elimination Chamber. Beth and Natalya could double team me after the match and you can run in with the save….maybe do one other Raw appearance until then, unless you want to do more than that of course!"

There was silence again from Amy's end of the phone.

"Come on Ames, this will be an epic match! You know it and I know it! It's never been done before."

Amy sighed, "Ok, if you can get creative to bite, I'm in."

"Yes! That's what I'm talking about!" Trish exclaimed, practically falling off the set box she was sitting on. "This is going to be so amazing! I'm going to set up a meeting with Stefanie asap!"

Amy laughed, "I'm glad you're excited…anything to keep your mind off of Ron!"

Trish frowned for a moment, registering a ping of heartache at the mention of his name, "Yeah, I'm trying desperately to keep busy. And Randy's been keeping me entertained as well."

"Uh huh…so I've heard! You failed to mention how close the two of you have become."

"Oh yeah, I guess I really haven't brought it up lately. Yes, we are very close. But you know how it goes when you travel with someone so frequently."

"And you don't think it has anything to do with the fact that you both have a lot in common?"

"What? We really don't have that much in common."

"No…not at all! You're both completely driven when it comes to wrestling and being the best. You both value family and friends over anything, and even though I'm not there to witness it, I would guarantee you are both attracted to each other."

"Ok, maybe we are more alike than I thought. But we are not both attracted to each other! He's married Amy! Let's not forget that!"

"Yeah, but you're still a woman and he's still a man…a very fine one at that may I mention! And please Trish! You're like the fantasy of every man!"

Trish grunted, "I really don't want to talk about this now…especially not here. Will you drop the conversation if I admit that yes, I am extremely attracted to Randy?"

"Uh…..hey…" a male voice rang out behind Trish.

Trish's eyes lit up as she turned and found Randy standing right behind her.

"Um…Ames, I got to go, I'll talk to you later. Bye!" With that she ended the call immediately. She chuckled nervously, "How much of that conversation did you hear?"

Randy blushed immediately, though he was beaming on the inside. Obviously, he didn't hear the entire conversation, but caught the most important piece of it. He decided to try and lie about it. He could already tell she was extremely embarrassed. "Oh, um, not much…I heard you yapping about something but I was too far back to hear what about. Who were you talking to?"

Trish exhaled deeply, more than relieved that he didn't hear her conversation. She was still skeptical of course…if he didn't hear the conversation, then why was he blushing?

"I was talking to Amy. I think I got her on board for a Wrestlemania idea we are tossing around."

"Really? And what type of match are we thinking?"

Trish paused, she wasn't sure if she should mention anything to Randy yet as she hadn't even taken the idea to creative yet. But she trusted him, so she didn't see the harm in telling him. "Well, I still have to talk to creative about it, but…we want to do a Diva's TLC tag match."

She read Randy's face, eager to see if he thought it was a good idea. Though he didn't seem as excited as she was, he seemed somewhat optimistic about it.

"Well, the fact that it's never been done is huge…and what better time to do than at Wrestlemania? But are you sure you can pull this off? Who is going to team with you?"

"Well, I'm hoping Amy…she just agreed to it if I can win over creative. Will you help me train?"

Randy nodded, concern written all over his face, "Yes, I'll help you…I'm just afraid I'll hurt you. And I'm not sure I'm the best when it comes to TLC matches…you really should be trained by someone who's actually been through one."

"But there's no one here who has experience with them. Matt and Jeff are gone, so are Mark and Devon, Adam is gone, Jay and Rey are hurt. And I'll be damned if I get training from Alberto or Mike!"

"Ok, ok, I get your point. You know, Phil has had a few TLC matches, and John was in one with Adam not too long ago. Let me see if they could help out as well. We could work with all of you before the Raw shows."

Trish smiled and gave Randy a hug, "Thank you so much!"

"It's no problem…besides, I thought we already established that I can't say no to you? Are you ready to head to the hotel?"

Trish nodded, picking up her bags, "Yes, let's get out of here. Adjoining rooms again?"

Randy smiled, "Of course!"

* * *

><p>Trish sat down on the bed and settled into a comfy position while turning on her iPod. She closed her eyes and fell into the sad song playing. She started thinking about Ron and how much she missed him. As she listened to the lyrics of the song, she felt the tears building up in her eyes.<p>

Randy opened the adjoining door and saw her lying on the bed. He noticed she had tears streaming down her face and was listening to music. She was so engulfed in the song and crying, she didn't even notice him until he sat down on the bed.

"What are you listening to? Give me that." He took the iPod off of her and scanned through the songs. "What are these songs? I'm ready to slit my freaking wrists! You're not allowed to have this anymore…at least not until I can create a new playlist for you.

Trish chuckled lightly, wiping the tears out of her eyes. "They're not that depressing. Besides, what am I going to do instead? Watch one of my sappy chick flicks?"

He wiped a stray tear from her cheek, "No!" he said as he slid Trish over on the bed a little further and relaxed in next to her, "We are going to rent one…I don't care which one, but it better not be a chick flick!"

Ten minutes later, they ordered 'Friends with Benefits'. Randy glanced at Trish with narrowed eyes, "I have no idea how you talked me into this movie. I said no chick flicks!"

Trish shrugged, "Again, it's nothing new…because you can't say 'no' to me!" She giggled as she threw him a nudge. His insides melted with her giggle. He absolutely loved everything about it, everything about her. He began tickling her, quickly realizing she may be the most ticklish person he'd ever met. Soon enough, a full fledged tickle fight had broken out between the two of them. Both Trish and Randy were laughing uncontrollably. He liked that he was able to pick out her most ticklish spot within seconds.

The battle continued on for a few more minutes until Randy had her arms pinned above her head on the bed. Their faces were mere inches from each other; Trish could feel Randy's breathe on her face, and vice versa. She looked into his blue eyes and they had her mesmerized within seconds. It felt like her heart was pounding outside of her chest. She wanted nothing more at that point in time, then for his lips to press down onto hers.

Randy looked deep into Trish's eyes, and though he tried to fight temptation, he was too weak. He knew kissing her would be wrong…he loves Sam. But he also had undefined feelings for Trish…feelings that he had tried to ignore for the longest time. It was as if these feelings were pushing him to make a move. He felt this overwhelming weight on his back and as much as he tried to resist it, he finally gave in, letting his body fall hard against hers.

Their breathing became more erratic with every inhale they took. Randy lowered his lips even closer to Trish's. This was the point of no return. If he extended the slightest bit, their lips would be touching and he knew there would be no way to undo what had just happened. But she smelled so sweet; it took every ounce of strength for him not to envision kissing her neck, her jaw line, nibbling on her ear.

Trish's whole body was on overload. Her senses took in everything they possibly could. Her body tingled with lust; she had goose bumps forming on her arms with every breathe of his she felt on her face. He smelled amazing, a mix of fresh scents with the slightest trace of cologne. She wanted to extend up to him…to meet him halfway. Every bone in her body was screaming for her to stop…she knew what was about to happen was wrong. But temptation was calling, and her heart was answering.

He began to move in for the kiss, his lips beginning to brush hers…suddenly, both of them immediately jumped back as the resonance of a cell phone sounded. Randy sat up, recognizing his ringtone automatically. He picked up the phone and saw that it was Sam. He glanced back at Trish who had now sat up on the bed. He answered the call; "Hey you…is everything ok?" he spoke into the phone as he walked out of Trish's room.

As soon as he left the room, Trish jumped up and ran into the bathroom. She tried to slow her breathing down as she leaned on the sink and stared at her reflection in the mirror. 'Get a hold of yourself! What the hell is wrong with you! He's married!' she told herself. She sat down on the edge of the tub and ran her hands through her hair. She sat there for the longest time, her knees supporting her elbows, which supported the hands that held her head.

She began nervously tapping her foot. "This is a sign." She said out loud to herself. She was sure it was Sam that had called him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have walked out of the room to take the call. She didn't know what to do. This was now the second time they found themselves in an extremely risky situation. Should she try to talk with him about it? Or would that put a strain on their friendship? Was it better not to say anything and hope these feelings would go away or lessen?

She slowly stepped out of the bathroom and felt relief run through her when she noticed he was still in his room. She closed the adjoining door slightly and got under the covers of her bed. She could hear him arguing on the other side of the door and decided eavesdropping would not improve her situation. She put on her headphones and turned up her iPod, hoping to fall asleep.

Randy rolled his eyes, "Sam, I'll be home tomorrow night! I'm leaving right after the show in Nashville! We can run around and grab everything you haven't had a chance to pick up Friday!"

"And what about Saturday? I made plans to go with the girls to get our hair and nails done. And I still have to pick up the food that morning! And your mother can't watch Al!" Her voice rang through the phone.

"Fine! I'll keep Al with me on Saturday. I'll take her to lunch or the park or something. It's really not a big deal!"

"Of course it's not a big deal to you, Randy; you didn't plan the entire party by yourself! You weren't here to help me put all this together!" Sam shouted.

"You know what…I don't need to be yelled at for offering my help. We've talked about this before. If you want me to quit wrestling, just say so. But then you better be ready to get a job of your own! You're making a huge deal out of something so trivial. I'll keep Al busy on Saturday so you can do your thing. And I'll help you run around on Friday as well. I'm tired and I'm hanging up now. I'll call tomorrow morning to talk to Al."

Randy looked at the phone and realized Sam hung up without even saying goodbye, goodnight, or I love you. He threw his cell on the bed, letting out some frustration. Her rant for weeks now is that he's never home. But when he offers to quit, she tells him not to! He can never win with her and the constant fighting is starting to wear thin on him.

He walked back into Trish's room and found her asleep on the bed. He thought back to moments earlier when he almost kissed her. There was nothing more he wanted at that moment in time than to kiss her lips. What worried him more was that the urge was still there. He sat down on the bed next to her and removed her headphones. He turned off the Ipod and sat it on the dresser next to her. He watched her sleep for a few minutes longer, trying to come to terms with his head. He sighed and got up, turned off the light and the TV and went back into his room. Between his fight with Sam, and his brain fighting his feelings for Trish, he realized he had one hell of a headache.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Trish rolled over and looked at the clock. It was 10 AM on Saturday, December 31st. After a full day of sight seeing yesterday with Matt, she crashed and had the best night's sleep she had in quite some time. She crawled out of bed and opened the curtains wide, letting the sun shine in. She decided she needed to find the nearest mall and quick as she didn't have anything to wear to the party tonight.

She walked into the bathroom and started the shower. Just as she was about to step in, she heard her cell ring. She smiled immediately when she saw Randy's name. "Hello?"

"Hi! How's St. Louis treating you?"

She chuckled, "It's good so far. Do you have everything set up for tonight?"

He sighed, "Yes, everything is taken care of. And while Sam is out all day with the girls, me and Al get to have a fun day together!"

Trish smiled to herself, _He really is such a great father_, she thought.

"So, what are your plans for the day?"

"Well, I need to find the nearest mall. I need something to wear tonight!"

"There's a mall not too far from where you're staying. I'll tell you what…how about I'll swing by in about an hour and you, me, and Al can have lunch together and then we'll help you find an outfit at the mall."

Trish smiled, "That sounds perfect. And I can't wait to meet Alanna! So, I'm assuming jeans are out for the party?"

Randy laughed loudly on the other end of the phone, "You can wear whatever you want, but I'm not going to lie, you'll be under-dressed if you wear jeans."

She sighed, "That's what I thought. Ok, a dress it is. I'll see you in an hour?"

"Yup, I'll text you when I'm outside."

"Ok, see you soon!"

Trish sighed as she hung up the phone and thought back to Wednesday night and the 'kiss that almost was'. She hadn't seen Randy on Thursday at all, other than the drive over to the arena. And they really didn't get to talk much either as Stefanie had called to set up a time to meet with Trish to discuss her Wrestlemania idea.

She was starting to notice a trend with Randy and herself. Any time they found themselves in a bad situation, instead of talking about it and clearing the air, they avoided each other for a few days until the issue cooled off. That bothered her. So she decided, the next time a similar situation would occur, she would say something to him about it…throw it on the table, and figure out what the hell is going on between them.

* * *

><p>Trish watched Alanna and Randy from across the table. He was cutting up her chicken into little pieces so that she could eat it, while she nibbled on a French fry. She noticed that Alanna's hair color was a lot lighter than Randy's and that she also had green eyes. She was so adorable and so well behaved as well.<p>

"Alanna, your eyes are so pretty! You must have your mommy's eyes!"

Randy laughed, "Actually, Sam's eyes are brown. We have no idea where the green eyes came from. Sam said her great grandmother had green eyes, so I guess she must have gotten some of her genes. You would honestly think she's the milk man's daughter…I can see a little bit of Sam in her, but for the most part, she doesn't look like either of us! So where did you and Matt go yesterday?" Randy asked as he took a bite of his burger.

Trish smiled, "We went down to the Gateway Arch, and then went over to the Citygarden which was so beautiful. I absolutely loved it. Then we went on a tour of the Anheuser-Busch brewery." She chuckled and continued, "I had a brewski with my broski!" She laughed harder for a second or two, realizing that Randy did not find her comment funny. "I'm sorry…Matt threw the word 'broski' into almost every sentence yesterday, but none of them were any good except that one…I guess you had to be there…"

Randy swallowed hard. Not only did Trish have a great time with Matt, but they obviously shared inside jokes too. "Wow, it sounds like you fit a lot in for one day."

"Oh, we did even more than that! We made our way over to the Soulard Market too…and then met up with Nick, Brie, Stefanie, Eve, and Cody. We bar jumped around down there all night. It kind of reminded me of New Orleans, with the blues music and all. It was a really fun time! I wish you could have been there with us."

Randy's features softened. Listening to her talk about bar hopping around with Matt was making him very jealous…until he heard her last sentence. His heart melted right then. All day on Friday he thought about Trish, where she was, and wondered how bad Matt was hitting on her. It never occurred to him that she was thinking about him too.

"Are you ok? You don't seem to be yourself today."

Randy shook himself out of his thoughts, "I'm fine. I'm sorry about that. I'm just running through the party checklist in my head to make sure I didn't forget anything. Are you ready to head over to the mall?"

Trish nodded, taking the last bite of her salad, "Yes! We only have a few hours to find me a dress!"

* * *

><p>An hour later, and ten dresses later, Trish walked defeated around the mall with Randy and Alanna. She knew she had to find something and quick…Al was almost at her limit and ready for a nap. She sighed, "Ok, let's try this store and if I can't find anything here, I'll go back and purchase the least hated of all the other dresses."<p>

Randy nodded as they made their way in the store. He was worried Al was on her last leg. She was getting antsy and she was definitely ready to get out of the stroller. The good thing about Trish, she didn't mess around. She walked right into the store and back to the dress section. Within fifteen minutes, she had three dresses picked out. "Ok, let me go try these on real quick. If any are promising, I'll come out for an opinion!"

Five minutes later, Trish emerged from the dressing room and Randy was speechless.

"What do you think?" She asked, twirling around a few times, trying to get a good look in the mirror.

The dress was perfect…it was as if the designer made the dress specifically for Trish. The dress was tightly form fitted and strapless. It had black scalloped lace trim around the top bodice and around the hemline. The rest of the dress was a light stone/taupe color made out of satin. The dress ended around her mid thighs…it wasn't too short like most of the dresses the diva's wore. This dress gave the perfect mix of sexy and sophistication, which also is the perfect definition of Trish Stratus.

Randy swallowed hard, "You look amazing…" he muttered out, still entranced by how beautiful she looked.

"Wow! So pretty!" Al exclaimed from her stroller.

Both Trish and Randy started laughing instantly. "Well then, I guess this is the dress!"

Trish also grabbed a pair of strappy black sandals with a 4" heel that perfectly matched the dress as well as some jewelry.

Randy's stomach started to turn as they walked out of the mall. _Matt is going to be all over her in that dress._ He wasn't sure he had the strength to watch him hit on her. He also didn't know if Trish was actually buying into his advances on her. He hoped she wasn't, but the only way to find out for sure was to try and pull some information out of her. "Matt's definitely going to be flirting with you tonight!"

Trish gave him an odd look before rolling her eyes, "You're nuts! Matt and I are just friends. Besides, he has a girlfriend back in Long Island. The only reason why she's not here with him is because she's in the Bahamas with her family for Christmas vacation. Regardless, he's not my type."

Randy felt relief surge through his body. "Is that right…what is your type?"

_You…_She cleared her throat, "Hmm…he's got to be tall, dark hair, a killer smile…he needs to be funny, but not a big goofball, he needs to be caring and considerate, family oriented, driven, outgoing and just fun to be around overall. So, totally not Matt!"

He chuckled as he thought about her type. "Trish, you realize, every man is taller than you?"

She smacked him in the arm, "Haha! Aren't we hysterical! You know what I mean! I would prefer someone six foot or taller."

After her comments, he could tell Trish really wasn't interested in Matt. Honestly, he personally felt he had all the characteristics she was looking for in a man. _Randy stop this! I shouldn't care in the first place! Trish should be able to date anyone she wants to! And I shouldn't even think that she's describing me!_


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Trish and Matt arrived at Randy's a little after seven that night. Matt rang the doorbell as they waited outside. "Trish, you really look hot tonight! Do you realize how envious every man is going to be of me?" She giggled, "Matt, I'm not sure you realize how jealous I'm going to make every woman by being on your arm tonight!"

Finally the door opened with Randy and Sam standing in the entrance. "Trish! Matt! Welcome! Come on in!" Randy said, moving aside to allow room for Trish and Matt to enter.

"Oh yeah! It's your Number One Broski arriving with the Number One Hotski on my arm!" Matt pulled Randy into a one armed hug. Randy looked at Trish while in the hug and gave her an eye roll with a smirk. Trish couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

"Hi Trish, I'm Sam. It's nice to finally meet you." Sam pulled Trish into a hug that made Trish uncomfortable. It felt forced…as if Sam was trying to put on a show or get the attention on her, rather than Trish.

"Hi Sam, I've heard so much about you, it's nice to finally get to meet you too!" Trish returned a genuine smile, though it was obvious that Sam's smile was fake and plastered on her face.

"Cody and Ted are downstairs. No one else has arrived just yet, though Nick called for directions for the second time so they have to be near by now. Um, there are drinks downstairs at the bar, the food is in the kitchen, and you're welcome to go anywhere in the house, except for upstairs."

Sam grabbed Randy's hand as he was talking to Matt and Trish, making it known for Trish to back off. Obviously, she felt threatened by how much time Trish and Randy were spending with each other. Trish decided she had enough of the awkward moment, so she grabbed Matt's hand and pulled him. "Come on, let's go downstairs and find Cody and Ted. It was nice meeting you Sam."

* * *

><p>By 8 PM, all of the guests had arrived and Randy and Sam were finally able to start mingling with all their friends. The house was packed with people, not to the point where it was a hassle to move, but enough to fill both the basement and the first floor. The basement quickly turned into a dance club, while the upstairs offered a more laid back atmosphere where people could casually converse with each other.<p>

Trish broke away from everyone and headed upstairs to the kitchen for some much needed food. If she didn't eat something and soon, she was going to be a drunken mess. She walked into the kitchen and noticed Randy and John talking near the island. John noticed her within seconds and made a huge display that grabbed everyone's attention.

"Trish! Baby girl! You are looking FINE tonight! Come here and give me a hug!"

Trish blushed immediately, realizing all eyes in the kitchen were on her…including Sam and Liz's. She gave John a hug, "Damn John, did you really need to make such a scene?"

Randy smiled and chuckled lightly, any other woman would be eating up the attention, but not Trish. She was so modest about her looks it was almost ridiculous. She didn't see herself as this sexy, smoking hot female that every other man saw her as. That could possibly be his most favorite feature of Trish's. She's sexy without even striving to be.

John chuckled, "Hey, I'm advertising for you…I know you're single now and there are plenty of single men here…just bringing to their attention what they should already know!"

Trish's smile fell, "What do you mean now that I'm single? Who told you that?" John looked uncomfortably at Randy, "Well, Randy may have mentioned it to me…but it's all over the internet too."

Trish frowned, her heart rate beating faster. She had only told close friends and family about the divorce. She really didn't want the wrestling rumor mill finding out about it. "What do you mean it's all over the internet?"

John wasn't sure what to say. He didn't want to upset her worse than she already was, but it seemed as though the damage was done. "Someone posted a picture of you and Randy signing autographs outside of the arena this past week. And of course, your left hand is present and missing that rock you used to sport."

Trish thought back and exhaled deeply, "I can't believe anyone would even notice that! This is just fantastic!" She said, throwing her hands in the air. "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen!"

"Trish, calm down! It's going to be ok. So what if people know you're getting a divorce? Why would you want to give a false impression if it isn't true?" Randy asked, though he knew if the situation were reversed, he'd be pissed too.

Trish looked at the ground. Truth be told, she was more concerned with the reality of the situation. Yeah, she knew she was getting a divorce, but telling the world about it? Well, that meant she couldn't hide behind the fantasy anymore. And she wasn't sure she wanted to face everyone's questions and fake pity.

Liz and Sam watched Trish, John, and Randy talking from across the kitchen. "I really don't know how you do it Sam….I don't think I could trust John if he was as good as friends with her as Randy is."

Sam looked at Liz and then back at Trish, "You think I should be worried?"

Liz gave Sam a concerned look, "Oh no honey…Randy would never cheat on you. But come on, look at her! Let's just say, if I was a lesbian, I'd be all over her! I gotta give you credit…it goes to show how much you trust each other…especially now that she's single!"

Sam looked down at the ground, hesitant to respond, "Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean, I trust Randy…it's her I don't trust."

* * *

><p>Trish wandered into the living room and sat down on a sofa. As she munched on a plate of appetizers, she began to partake in her favorite guilty pleasure…people watching. Randy soon joined her on the couch.<p>

"So do you know all of these people here tonight?"

He smiled at her, "Most of them, yes. Though there are some friends of Sam's that I've never met. But, she's introduced me to everyone tonight." Suddenly, Randy's face grew confused, "Everyone except that guy."

Trish turned her attention to the dining room and saw the man Randy was referring to. He was standing in the corner of the room, looking out of place. He didn't appear to be with a group of people, and she thought it strange that he was here by himself. Trish chuckled, "He looks like you."

Randy gave her a crazy look, "No he doesn't…I'm way better looking than that guy!"

Trish shrugged, "Ok, then…he resembles you…a much smaller you."

Randy stood and nodded, "That's more like it! I'll be right back."

He made his way into the kitchen and over to where Sam was standing. "Hey, who is that guy over in the corner of the dining room?"

Sam peeked around the corner to get a better look. "Um, I can't remember his name."

Randy gave her an odd look, "So, who is he?"

"I actually think he came with Carla's group."

Carla was a friend of Sam's. She arrived with at least 10 people tonight, but Randy swore he was introduced to all of them. "Are you sure? I don't remember being introduced to him."

"Yes, Randy, I'm sure. I think his name is David, but I can't remember for sure. You've met a lot of people tonight that you don't know. It's almost impossible to remember everyone's face."

Randy sensed an annoyed tone in Sam's voice and decided to drop it. He walked away from her and went back into the living room.

"So what's the verdict?" Trish asked.

Randy sat back down and shrugged, keeping his eyes on the stranger, "Sam claims he came with a huge group of her friends. She said I was introduced to him but I don't remember him. She thinks his name is David."

* * *

><p>The night wound down and in 30 minutes, the New Year would arrive. Everyone had made their way into the basement by this point. The music was bumping and everyone was dancing and having a great time.<p>

Trish was surrounded on the dance floor by Matt, Cody, Nick, Brie, Stefanie, Eve, AJ and Ted. All nine of them were dancing machines and the envy of the party. As the minute mark hit, everyone stopped dancing and turned up the volume on the TV for the countdown.

Trish felt her heart sink as sadness suddenly overcame her. She realized this was her first New Years as a single woman. Every year since she was 15 years old, she spent New Years with Ron. Even when she was traveling with the WWE, he would fly out to whatever city she was in to spend the evening with her.

5…4…3…2…1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!

She embraced Matt in a hug, followed by Eve and AJ. As she looked around, her focus fell on couples exchanging kisses for the New Year. There, directly in front of her stood Nick and Brie, John and Liz stood further off to her right, and as she turned around, there stood Randy and Sam. She needed to get away from 'the land of happy couples' and fast. She needed some air…and she needed it now. She began weaving her way towards the sliding glass door. She was on the verge of a breakdown and needed to get out of the crowd to try and gather herself. She pulled open the door and inhaled deeply as the cold air rushed through her body. She closed the door behind her and made her way towards the end of the deck. She was relieved she made it outside unnoticed…or at least she thought unnoticed.

Randy had watched Trish escape out the backdoor. He knew something was bothering her and he had a good hunch as to what that was. Sam had wandered back upstairs so if he was going to slip away momentarily, this was his chance. He looked around the room, ensuring no one saw his exit.

As he closed the sliding glass door behind him, he saw her sitting on the retainer wall just at the end of the porch. Her back was to him and her arms wrapped around herself. He began making his way toward her. "It's a little chilly in St. Louis to be sitting outside without a coat on, you know."

As soon as she heard the door open, she knew it was Randy. She didn't acknowledge him at first; she just stared straight ahead, looking out into the back yard. As he made his way closer toward her, she sighed, "Do you ever wish you could go back and change one thing about your life? Just…one…moment. And if you could go back, would you? Is there a moment you would change?"

Randy sat down next to her on the wall and put his arm around her to keep her warm. "I already told you I'm not a big fan of regret." He could see the tears shimmering on her face in the moonlight.

She shook her head and turned her body to face him, "I'm not talking about regret. I don't regret the decisions I've made in my life. I am where I am for a reason. And I agree that you should learn from mistakes instead of regret them. So I'm not regretting them…I'm just questioning them. What if I would have ended things with Ron back when I first joined the WWE? Would that have changed the outcome of where I am today? Would it have made my life better?"

He shrugged and wiped some of the tears from her face, "Who knows. Maybe…I believe there are many people out there in the world for us. So, do I think you would've found someone else? Yes, with out a doubt. Do I think you're life could have been any better? Maybe…or maybe it would have turned out worse."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm not questioning if I would have found someone else. I'm questioning if I would be a different person than I am today. I feel like I missed out on so much because I was with Ron. You know? I mean, yeah, I went out and partied in the beginning, but I always had reservations about how out of hand I let myself get. I was always the mother hen of the group, watching out for everybody. I never really let my guard down."

Randy began rubbing her arms as he could feel her shaking from the cold. She started to cry as well, but he didn't say anything. To be honest, he didn't know what to say.

She continued, "And everyone always told me how independent I was…and how invigorating that was for other women to see. But when I think about it…I wasn't independent at all. Maybe from a financial standpoint I was, but from a mental standpoint? From a mental standpoint I wasn't whatsoever. I relied on Ron and my relationship with him more than I ever should have. So much so, that tonight, I feel like I'm walking around with only one leg to stand on…shame on me for letting myself turn into this type of person."

Randy pulled her into a hug. It was obvious Trish was going through various stages with her divorce. The first stage was questioning and regretting her relationship with Ron. The second stage was accepting it. The third, and most current stage, was questioning herself as an individual.

"I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, Trish. If you think Ron was your 'other leg' as you so put it, then you would have left the WWE along time ago. You wouldn't have lasted ten years in the company...you would have drowned one year in. If you were so dependent upon him and your relationship, you would have left to be with him. You're stronger than you think…and you are an independent woman. Don't ever doubt that."

Randy then started to think more about the feelings he's been developing for Trish over the months. There were so many close calls that almost crossed the line. He realized that he's been lying to himself about everything. And the truth is the feelings aren't going away. If anything, they grow stronger every day he's with her and maybe it was a good time to finally talk about them. Maybe he'd be able to figure things out in his mind, if he knew how she felt.

He started to think more about the question she had asked him and realized that there was a moment he wished he could change. He pulled out of the hug and wiped another set of tears from her eyes. "To answer your question, yes…there is something I would change." He looked down, unsure if he should be confessing these feelings to her. He realized this could possibly open a huge can of worms. "I would change the moment I decided to be such an asshole playboy…"

She looked into his eyes and couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious. But she waited for him to continue. "If I could take back that moment, then maybe you would have wanted to get to know me better back then…and then we wouldn't be…"

"Randy, there you are! Sam's looking for you, bro!"

Both of them jumped and swallowed hard as John approached them.

"Trish, are you alright? Look, I'm sorry about mentioning the internet posting tonight."

Trish shook her head, "No John, it's alright. I'm just going through the motions of being divorced. Some nights are harder than others." She stood up and cleared her throat, glancing at Randy, "Thanks for the talk." She quickly walked back inside, all the while cursing the intrusion by John. _Then we wouldn't be what? Wouldn't be in this awkward situation? Wouldn't be just friends? Fuck John! Just 10 more seconds! That was all I needed!_

John looked at Randy, "Ok, NOW tell me nothing is going on between the two of you!"

Randy stood up and started pacing, "Nothing is going on between us! I just…"

"You just what?"

Randy stopped pacing and stared at John for a few minutes, completely speechless.

"Jesus Christ Randy! You just what?"

Randy looked John straight in the eyes, "I don't know…I don't know what this is! I'm so confused! I love Sam…I'm in love with Sam. It's just…we've been fighting so much lately, and she's been so fucking weird with certain things. And things just click with Trish. I'm so attracted to her and I feel like when we talk it's on a completely different level than when me and Sam talk."

John exhaled and shook his head. "You're treading on thin ice man! What the fuck is your problem? First off, you have a little girl to think about! Secondly, Sam deserves better than this! And lastly, Trish is going through a divorce! She's hurt and confused and she needs to find herself again! Flirting with her is not going to help her! It's just going to confuse her even more!"

Randy's face twisted in anger, "Flirting? That's what you think I'm doing? You know what John? Fuck you!" He began pacing again, this time more fervently than before. He finally stopped and turned to face John. "John, we've been friends for a long time now. You've seen me at my best and you've definitely seen me at my worst…do you honestly think that I'm simply flirting with Trish? I'm fucking telling you! I've never connected with anyone like this before!"

"So you're saying you're more connected with Trish than you are your own wife?"

"Yes! That is why I'm so fucking confused! I shouldn't have been able to do that and I have!"

John shot Randy a sympathetic look and shook his head, "Shit Randy, I'm not one to tell you what to do…it's your life. But, I know you…and I know Trish…and I also know Sam. I think you need to put some distance between you and Trish…you need to think long and hard about the consequences of your possible actions before you make any decisions...because you won't be able to take any of it back."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Trish sat at the bar in the basement, watching Matt and AJ dancing. She was more than ready to leave. Some of the guests had started to clear out as it was close to 2 AM. It was obvious that Randy was avoiding Trish since their talk outside. She also felt like John was on guard duty as she caught him many times giving her a wary eye.

It was evident that Matt wasn't ready to leave any time soon, so Trish decided to take off without him. She jumped off the bar stool and made her way over to him. "Hey Matt, do you care if I take the car and leave? I think I'm spent!"

Matt nodded; he stopped dancing for only a minute to respond, "Yeah, that's fine. I'll snag a ride back with either Nick or AJ. He handed her the keys and gave her a hug.

Just as Trish finished saying goodbye to everyone else, she noticed Sam sneaking out the back door. About a minute later, the stranger known as 'David' snuck out the same back door. Trish carefully made her way over to the door and looked outside. Near the end of the patio, she could see them talking. She couldn't hear what they were saying to each other, but their body language was telling her that they definitely knew each other. They appeared to be arguing about something. Trish cursed to herself; something was up with the two of them, but she had no way of proving it without hearing what they were talking about. But she couldn't open the patio door…they would definitely hear it. She had no reason to believe Sam was being unfaithful to Randy, however, she also wasn't buying that Sam didn't know David on a more personal level.

She continued watching them, studying their body language. They were standing too close to be complete strangers, even the chemistry between them seemed to be more advanced for only meeting him tonight. She was sure they knew each other for more than just one night. The only question that remained in Trish's mind was if she should say something to Randy.

She had no evidence really; just that she saw them talking outside and that they appeared to know each other. Was it even worth mentioning to Randy? She thought about it for a minute and decided that she should tell him. If she reversed the situation, she would want to know if Ron was lying to her. She made her way upstairs to find Randy, getting more apprehensive with every step she took.

She found Randy and John sitting at the kitchen table upstairs. Both of them acknowledged her as she walked up to them. "Hey Randy, do you think I could talk to you for just a second?" She saw the look John was flashing him and became irritated quickly_. God damn it! I'm not the antichrist here for fucks sake! John needs to mind his own business for once in his life!_ Randy looked at her with an unsure expression, "Uh, sure." He stood up and Trish grabbed his hand, pulling him into the hallway. She wasn't going to dare pull him into a room where no one could see them. John would have a coronary. But she needed someplace that was somewhat private.

"Um, I know I really should be minding my own business…and I'm not really sure what to even think of this, but…" She hesitated. She was afraid of how he was going to respond. Was he going to believe her? Or get angry for butting into something that she had no right to?

Randy gave her a look of concern, "Trish, its ok…just say it….what's wrong?"

"Well, I was getting ready to leave and I happened to notice Sam outside with that David character…"

Randy looked at her expectantly, "And?"

"And…I'm not sure I'm buying her story on not knowing him. Their body language was telling me otherwise. They appeared to be arguing about something…but she stood a little too close to him for just meeting him…"

"What were they fighting about?"

Trish looked down, "I…I don't know. I couldn't exactly open the door without them noticing me. I didn't hear anything."

Randy was about to respond, but someone else caught his attention.

"Yes, Trish…what exactly were we fighting about?"

Trish turned around wide eyed to find Sam standing behind her. She stood there speechless.

"You know what…I think you've worn out your welcome. I think it's time for you to leave."

"Sam…" Randy tried to interrupt.

"No, Randy! It's obvious she has feelings for you! She's just trying to start shit between me and you...anything she can do to try to get her claws in you!"

Trish tried to stand up for herself, "Now wait a minute, that's not true!"

"No? Then maybe you should mind your own business and leave my husband alone!"

"Sam, stop it!" Randy yelled.

"No! I'm sick of this shit! She's got the damsel in distress part figured out perfectly! But I'm over it all! You need to make a choice, Randy! You need to choose right now! Me or her? Cause I don't trust her and I don't want you associating with her anymore!"

"Sam, you're being ridiculous!"

By this point, John and Liz were standing nearby, ready to break in if the situation got any worse.

Sam turned and glared at Randy. "Really? Why am I not surprised that you would take her side?" She shook her head, all the while staring daggers through Trish. "Her or me. Right now…decide! Are you going to give up your family, your daughter, for her?"

Randy didn't respond at first, and he never had to. Trish had seen and heard enough. The blood was rushing through her body and she was about two seconds away from punching Sam square in the nose.

"You know what, I'm out of here. He shouldn't have to choose between a friend and his family. So, I'm going to decide for him. Move!" With that, Trish pushed pass Sam, giving her more than just a nudge and stormed out of the house. She was so angry she couldn't breath.

_Oh she's good…she's very good! How convenient that she turned the entire conversation around and put it on me!_ _SHE should've been the one being questioned, but by turning the focus onto me, she was able to avoid the entire confrontation. And now I'm sure Randy is kissing her ass, trying to make it all better! Damn him for not standing up for himself…or me for that matter!_


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Trish sat in Stefanie's office at WWE Headquarters in Connecticut. She really wasn't in the mood to talk business as Randy had been consuming her thoughts. She hadn't heard from him since New Years Eve. Granted, that was only two days ago, but still. She knew her friendship with Randy had come to an end.

When Trish and Stefanie had decided to meet, Trish didn't realize she had informally just agreed to travel to Connecticut. It slipped her mind that Stefanie doesn't travel much anymore since she has a family to take care of. Lucky for Trish, she had the night off of RAW.

"Trish! Hi! You look amazing!"

Trish turned in the chair as Stefanie walked through the door. She stood immediately and the two of them hugged.

Stef, YOU look amazing! How has everything been? Are the kids good?"

Stef walked over to her desk and sat down. "Yes, everything is great. Kids are good, Hunter's good. Just extremely busy, but I'm sure you know how that goes!"

Trish nodded as she sat back down in her seat. "I definitely do!"

"So, you wanted to talk about a Wrestlemania idea?"

Trish nodded. She felt a little nervous presenting the idea to Stefanie. She was confident it was a good idea, but she was anxious to see how Stef would respond.

"Before you get started, I wanted to let you know that I can see what you're doing with the divas and all your effort is not going unnoticed."

Trish smiled; it was nice to have someone recognize the work they were doing. "I can't take all the credit, Stef. Nattie and Beth have been assisting as well. We've been trying to work with different divas that we think could use some assistance. We're trying to get the divas division back to what it used to be."

Stef nodded, "It needs help. That is obvious. I think if you continue the training, it will get back to where it needs to be. So what is this big Wrestlemania idea?"

Trish laughed, "Well, you may think we're crazy for even coming up with this idea…but, we want to do a Diva's Tag Team TLC match…me, Beth and Nattie that is." She paused momentarily, letting Stefanie soak in the idea, "Amy has expressed interest in coming back to be my tag partner. We're thinking along the lines of Pin-Up Strong vs Pin-Up Legends…"

Stefanie remained expressionless for a few minutes and Trish couldn't get a read on where her brain was. "Would Amy be interested in coming back before Wrestlemania?"

Trish nodded excitedly, "Yes, she said would make an appearance at the Elimination Chamber and a few RAW's leading up to Mania."

Stefanie sat back in the chair with an impressed look on her face. "I'm not going lie, this is a great match idea. However, I have a few concerns. One being, do you think the four of you can handle a TLC match? And my second major concern deals with fighting upper management. Currently, they think they can book a better match than waste the time on a divas match at Mania."

"Nattie, Beth, and I are planning on getting trained by Phil, John, and Ran…well, just Phil and John. But I think we can be creative enough to come up with some good material on our own. The guys can assist us with some ideas, but we mainly will learn how to handle and deliver chair shots, work on our ladder skills, and work on our tactics with tables. As for upper management, I'm not sure how to address that? We've been working with the divas every chance we get. And I have noticed an increase in our match lengths…I've even noticed more plot involvement too."

Stefanie smiled and nodded, "Ok, you've convinced me…as long as Phil and John are going to train you, then I'm on board. And don't worry about upper management. I'll work on them. It shouldn't be too hard…I have a few big players on my side if you know what I mean." She threw a wink Trish's way. "However, while we're on the topic of plot involvement, I wanted to run an idea by you. But first I have a personal question to ask you."

Trish looked alarmed, her heart sunk as well. She knew exactly where this was going…to the internet leaks on her divorce.

"What is going on with you and Randy?"

Trish sat there speechless; she didn't know how to respond and she questioned exactly what Stefanie knew. Had someone from the party told her the juicy gossip? She began stammering, "Um, well, we uh…we've been travelling with each other a lot, since we've both been going between RAW and Smackdown…but I'm not sure I understand the question?"

Stefanie laughed, "Trish relax! I'm not putting you on the spot or accusing you of anything! I've just been noticing a lot of pictures of the two of you showing up on the net. And I'm sure you're aware your divorce has been uncovered as well."

Trish cringed, "Yes, I am very aware that my divorce has leaked. I really wasn't trying to hide it, more or less just keep it on the down low. But, I'm confused…what pictures of me and Randy?"

Stefanie turned her monitor towards Trish and went to one of the infamous wrestling rumor websites. Within seconds, Stefanie showed Trish at least fifteen different pictures of her and Randy. Some were from the day they were signing autographs outside of the arena; others were random shots of them at the airport, while many were of the two of them leaving events together.

Trish ran her hands through her hair, "What are they saying? That I'm a home wrecker?"

Stefanie shook her head, "Most of them actually are not. A lot of the younger age groups are all about it. Some of the older women are calling you a home wrecker; however, most of the consensus is that Randy is back to his old ways."

"Just great!" Trish threw her hands up in the air in frustration._ Trish the fucking home wrecker!_

"Actually Trish, it is great. What would you say to a storyline that has you involved with Randy? I think it could really boost the ratings!"

Trish sat there with a look of fear on her face. _You've got to me kidding me! What fucking timing!_She responded, looking for any excuse she could think of, "I'm not sure Stef. Look at how Kayfabe ruined Amy's reputation."

"But Trish, this isn't Kayfabe! You and Randy are just friends! We could easily squash all these stupid rumors then. We could just say you've been spending time together as part of the new storyline."

Trish didn't even consider it, she just kept making excuses…"I'm still hesitant. Randy's been having some trouble with Sam lately and her jealousy issues. I would hate to make them any worse. And besides, a romantic relationship doesn't fit Randy's character. He may be a face right now, but he's like the loner rebel type. A girl would make him look weak."

"I'm going to have to disagree with that. Both of you have enormous amounts of sex appeal with the fans. The fan reaction would be off the charts. However, I'm getting the feeling that you really don't like the angle, so we'll leave it at that. But I will say, upper management is all over this storyline. They are like wolves hot on the scent of prey. So if you hear about it again, don't be surprised."

Trish nodded and looked down. She prayed the storyline would get squashed. Sam would most likely blame Trish anyway if it did get approved. But with Randy and Trish not on speaking terms, the situation would only get worse, not better.

"So, I'll talk to upper management and pitch your idea for Wrestlemania. I'll be in touch as soon as I hear. And if the idea is approved, we'll reach out to Amy to talk through the details of her return as well."

Trish smiled and stood to shake Stefanie's hand. "Thank you for your time!" They exchanged hugs and Trish walked out of the office feeling excited about their match, but also feeling loads of anxiety about her possible storyline with Randy.

* * *

><p>Trish landed in Little Rock Arkansas around 10 AM Tuesday morning. She didn't bother sending Randy a text message…she decided if there was a time to be distant, it was now. She grabbed a car rental and went on her search to find a nearby gym.<p>

After an hour yoga session, she headed to the arena. The anxiety she was feeling as she walked in was overwhelming. What were the odds that she could lay low and avoid running into Randy? Maybe he was trying to avoid her too? She headed straight to the only place she knew she wouldn't find him…the diva's locker room.

She hid in there for about an hour before she decided she was being ridiculous. She couldn't avoid him forever. Eventually, they were going to run into each other. Besides that, she had to get to the ring to work with AJ.

As she walked down the ramp, she saw AJ in the ring stretching. What she didn't see, was Randy sitting a ways up. He was sitting in the higher sections of the arena, hoping that she wouldn't notice him.

After about an hour of training, they finished up. "Thanks for the workout Trish, I really think I'm getting better at this."

Trish smiled as she wiped her face with a towel, "AJ, you are definitely getting better…I can see your improvement every day." AJ smiled and gave her a hug before exiting the ring. Trish picked up her bottle of water and took a long sip.

"You really should be proud of what you're doing with these women."

Trish sighed as she put the cap back on her bottle. She knew that voice anywhere. She looked up to find him walking down the steps, slowly making his way to the ring.

She didn't smile as him; she just looked at him with a somewhat concerned, yet heartbroken expression. He entered the ring and walked up to her.

"Randy, what are you doing?"

He flashed his signature smirk. "What? I'm talking to my friend. Is that a crime?"

"Uh, yeah, it obviously is! Do you have amnesia or something? Do you not recall your wife going crazy and giving you an ultimatum?" She held the tears back, not letting him know how upset she really was.

"Trish, come on. She was just fired up…I mean, you accused her of something pretty serious."

Trish's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open, "I accused her? I was trying to talk to YOU…I didn't accuse her of anything! She turned it into an accusation! I can't believe I'm even listening to this! You sat there earlier that night and told me you didn't trust the guy and how Sam claimed she didn't know him. Yet, I see her outside with him and somehow I'm the bad guy? Why would I make something up like that?"

"I'm not saying you made anything up. I'm just saying…I mean asking…" He sighed, "Can't we just drop this and move on?"

Trish looked at him incredulously, "No! We can't! I can't! I'm not a home wrecker and I'm not trying to break the two of you up!" She shook her head and picked up her water bottle and towel. "I think we need to take some time apart. Obviously, your wife has issues with me. And I'm not going to be the reason you're fighting with her. Not to mention, pictures of us have been showing up all over the internet…just in case you didn't know that."

"Trish, who said anything about being a home wrecker? Please don't do this…I don't want to take a break from our friendship."

She sighed as she exited the ring, "Look on the internet…every one is calling me a home wrecker and you a male pig…just like you used to be. Oh, and not to mention…YOUR WIFE is essentially calling me a home wrecker…and if you don't believe what I saw on New Years, then you essentially are too."

"Come on Trish!" Randy yelled, leaning on the ropes as he watched her walk up the ramp.

"Oh, by the way Randy…what did Sam say when you asked her about David?"

Randy looked confused, "What? I never asked her about the conversation…she was so pissed off about you, it took me two days to calm her down."

"That's what I thought! God Randy, open your eyes!" She walked out of the arena, not even looking back, leaving a confused Randy standing in the middle of the ring.

* * *

><p>Randy opened up his laptop back at the hotel. He started searching the internet for the pictures Trish had mentioned. Within seconds he had multiple sites open with various pictures of him and Trish together. As he scrolled down and read the comments posted, he became more and more angry. He finally realized why Trish was so upset.<p>

There were endless comments posted making snide remarks of Trish…some stated she was a whore, others called her a home wrecker, and others were actually excited about the idea of Randy and Trish together. He then found tons of comments posted criticizing himself. Most of the comments stated he was back to his old ways. The fact that people were putting their noses in business they had no right to was pissing him off. He knew it was also just a matter of time before Sam found them as well.

He ran his hands down his face. This was turning into a gigantic mess. It was bad enough that Sam wanted him to have nothing to do with Trish and accused him of having an affair. But, Trish wasn't speaking to him now and websites were slandering her on untrue allegations. _What does she mean, open your eyes?_

He thought back to New Years and ran through the argument between Trish and Sam. Then he thought back to his fight with Sam after Trish had left. Finally, he understood what Trish meant and he realized that she was right. He never did get the chance to ask Sam about David. The more he thought about Sam's actions over the holidays, the more suspicious he became. Finally, he realized what he had to do. It was time to confront Sam about David and question HER loyalty for once.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Randy made his way down to the ring where he found Trish, Beth, Nattie, Phil, and John working with chairs.

"Hey Randy! Are you joining in on the fun?" Nattie asked, handing him a chair as he entered.

John flashed Randy a look that screamed 'What the fuck', but Randy ignored him. "I promised Trish I'd help you ladies out, so here I am!"

Trish flashed Randy an irritated look. _How stubborn can he be? Did I not make myself clear yesterday?_

"Ok, since we have 6 people now, do you want to break out into smaller sessions? John, you can work with Beth, I'll work with Nattie, and Randy can work with Trish."

Everyone nodded and broke out into groups. Trish and Randy went down along side the ring. She ripped the chair out of his hands and violently whispered to him. "What the fuck Randy? I told you we needed a break! And check out the looks John is throwing us!"

He shrugged, "Do you honestly think I was going to listen to you? Besides, you're right."

Trish looked at him blankly. He had thrown her off guard with his comment, but she waited for him to continue.

"I thought about it a lot last night and I'm going to talk to Sam about David. We have a three day break after the house show next week. I'm going home to ask her then. I do believe your story…and you're not a home wrecker, regardless of what all the losers are saying online."

Trish smiled, as a slight moment of relief passed through her. It may not fix everything, but at least he believes her and doesn't think she's lying to him. And he was finally standing up for himself in his marriage. "What about John?"

Randy glanced in the ring and received another death look from John. "Don't you worry about him…I'll take care of him."

The six of them worked through taking chair shots, how to sell the hits, and different moves they could do with the chairs. Trish even figured out how to incorporate a chair shot into her Stratusphere move. They all worked together for another hour before quitting for the day.

Randy and Trish made their way backstage. "So, will I be waiting for you after the show tonight?"

Trish smiled, "I got my own rental."

"Yeah, so what…we'll return it."

Trish laughed, "Ok then, I guess…."

"Hey Randy can I talk to you for a sec?" John interrupted as he walked up to Trish and Randy."

Randy flashed him a dirty look. "Sure."

Trish looked down uncomfortably, "Randy, I'll catch up with you later." She walked away before he had a chance to respond.

"Before you say anything, I'm telling you right now, if you say anything bad about Trish, so help me God, I will punch you so hard all your teeth will fall out."

John chuckled, "Easy killer…I'm not saying anything. If you want to mess your life up, go for it. I can't stop you. But you know as well as I do, none of this is fair to Sam."

Randy sighed, "You have no idea what the hell is going on! I haven't had a chance to talk to you, but something is up with Sam. She's been acting weird and distant for a really long time now...I mean, we fight all the time. And on New Years, this guy David appears and Sam tells me that she has no idea who he is. Then Trish sees them outside talking like they've known each other for a long time. Do you think that's a coincidence? And I know Trish wouldn't make something like that up!"

John looked down, "No, Trish wouldn't make up something like that…it does seem kinda fishy. Man, why didn't you tell me about this sooner? I thought we were tight?"

Randy looked down, "We are…I don't know why I didn't. I guess mostly because I've been lying to myself that something's going on with her. And…partially because I didn't want to bother you with something that might not even be a problem."

"You know you can always bother me…We tell each other everything! And I'm sorry for being so damn hard on you. I'll lay off you about Trish. She's a good girl and I know she would never try to break up your marriage. And you're not the same guy you used to be…you would never intentionally hurt anyone. But, you really need to talk with Sam and figure out what's going on."

* * *

><p>Trish made her way back to the trainer's room. She was watching backstage as Randy and Stu battled it out in the ring when the match ended earlier than intended. Randy had landed awkwardly after a bump he took. As he got up, she noticed he had a slight limp and was favoring his back more than he should have been. She couldn't predict the future, but what she could predict was that Randy was legitimately hurt.<p>

As she entered the training room, she found him lying on the examining table. "Hey, are you ok? You look like you hit pretty hard."

Randy sat up as soon as he heard her voice. He smiled, though she could tell it was forced. "It's my back…they think it's a herniated disc. They just ran all the tests, I'm just waiting for the results.

"Yeah, I've had plenty of those in the past…yoga seemed to really help me though."

He nodded, "I hope it's nothing…the Rumble is less than two weeks away…I'm supposed to win back the belt. This can't be happening."

She shrugged, "They'll give you another title shot…I wouldn't worry about that. But, at least you'll have time to see Alanna…and you can work things out with Sam too."

He looked down, "Yeah, you're right…I just, I haven't had the title in over a year. I wanted it back so bad….and besides; who are you going to travel with?"

She smiled, "Don't you worry about me…Chris is back…I just haven't had a chance to catch up with him yet. I should be able to see him this Monday."

Randy frowned to himself, truth be told he didn't want Trish travelling with Chris or anyone else for that matter. He didn't want anyone to be able to break the bond that they had formed.

Trish noticed him deep in thoughts, "Don't worry, no one could ever replace you as my travel buddy. Besides, they are obviously going to pair him up against Phil, which means he won't be doing Smackdown shows for a while."

Just then the trainers entered the room with the doctor. "Randy, I'm sorry to say, but the test results confirm it. You have a herniated disc between the L4 and L5 levels in the left side of your back. You'll need to take some time off to mend and strengthen the muscles. I'm sorry for the bad news.

Randy nodded, confirming his fears. "Thank's Doc. I know the drill." He exchanged handshakes and watched the doctor leave the room.

He sighed and gave Trish a broken look. Her heart ached for him…he'd taken a side seat in the company to let other superstars grow, he's put them over more so than any other superstar, and the second the company starts to put him back in main events, he gets injured.

"Looks like you get to go home tomorrow."

"Nah, I'm leaving tonight. It's still early…It's only about a four hour drive from Memphis. That'll put me home around midnight. I'm actually excited to get to sleep in my own bed."

"Are you sure you should be driving with the pain killers they gave you? I'm just worried about you…"

"I refused them. I had a feeling I'd be driving home tonight. Trish, you don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll even text you when I get home if it'll make you feel better."

She nodded, "Ok, you better! And if you get tired on drive, call my cell. I'll be up and I'll keep you awake!"

He smiled at her and pulled her into a hug. She smelled amazing. He didn't know if it was a perfume that she was wearing, or maybe her shampoo or conditioner, or it could have just been her natural smell, but whatever it was, it made him think thoughts that he should not be thinking.

* * *

><p>Randy arrived home slightly after midnight. He would've made better time if it wasn't for the ice storm moving in. He noticed the house was completely dark and assumed Sam must've gone to sleep early. He walked in the house and quietly made his way upstairs to the bedroom. As he walked into the room, he found the bed empty. He flicked on the lights and looked around confused. He then made his way down the hall to Alanna's room. As he peaked in, he noticed her bed was empty as well.<p>

Panic overcame him as he dialed Sam's cell. After about 5 rings, it went to voicemail. He hung up and quickly called his parents.

"Hey Mom, sorry for calling so late, but do you happen to know where Sam and Al are?"

"Yes, honey, Al is spending the night here with us. Sam is out with the girls…she said the 8 PM movie was sold out so they got tickets to the 10:30 show instead. I told her we'd just keep Al overnight. What are you doing home? Please tell me you're not injured."

"I am, but it's only a herniated disc. Do you care if I come over and bring Al home? I just really want to see her."

"It's fine sweetie. I'm still up, so come on over. Just be careful…the roads look like they are getting really icy."

"I will. I'll see you in a bit."

He ran into the kitchen quickly to grab a bottle of water before heading out the door. His heart dropped as he saw the same questionable phone from Christmas sitting on the kitchen table. Anger slowly started to boil over in him which quickly turned to rage. His suspicions on Sam had brought him full circle. He had no doubt in his mind that she was cheating on him. He picked up the phone and threw it as hard as he could against the wall, watching it shatter into a million pieces.

He stormed out the house seconds later, wanting to kick himself for breaking the cell phone before he could gather numbers and evidence. He drove as quickly as he could to his parents' house. All he wanted at this point was to hold his daughter. It was only a ten minute drive to his parents' house, though it felt like a lifetime by the time he pulled into the driveway.

He put on a cool face before walking in the door. He didn't want to worry his mother or father until he had concrete evidence that Sam was cheating on him.

"Hey honey!" His mom gave him a huge hug and kiss when he walked in.

He smiled and returned the hug. "Where's Dad?"

"Oh, he fell asleep on the couch as usual. Come on, Al is back in her room." Randy followed his mother back to the spare room that was converted into Al's room for nights when she got to stay with Grandma and Grandpa.

He walked into the room and found her sound asleep. He gave her a kiss on the forehead before standing back up and grabbing her bag. He gently picked her up and wrapped her in her blanket before carrying her out to the car.

Within minutes he had her secure in her car seat and walked back into the house. She didn't even stir.

"Ok Mom, I'm going to get her home and wait for Sam to get in."

"Ok sweetie, please be careful. I'll give you a call tomorrow." She hugged him once more and gave him a kiss.

Randy took his time driving home. The roads had gotten extremely bad at this point and even though his Hummer had four wheel drive, it was useless when driving on ice.

He clicked the windshield wipers up to a higher level. Most of the cars on the road were taking their time. There was a considerable amount of traffic on the road for a Wednesday night at 12:30 AM. Suddenly, a driver in the on-coming lane lost control of their vehicle.

Randy swerved and missed the on coming car; however, the Hummer began fishtailing on the road. Randy tried to straighten it out, but lost control and began spinning. He felt the Hummer make one full rotation before he heard skid marks and felt the impact as a car hit them. The airbags quickly deployed and everything went black.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Randy groggily began to open his eyes, at first; all he could focus on were the bright lights and shadows of bodies standing around him. He heard muffled voices all around, but really couldn't make out what they were saying. He blinked a few times, trying to make sense of where he was. As his senses began to focus, he realized that he must be at the hospital. Dr. Adams, he's awake. "Sir, can you tell me what your name is?"

"Alanna? Where is my daughter?" Randy tried to sit up, but the mass of doctors held him down.

"Sir, calm down, your daughter is the operating room. She has a broken rib that has caused a small tear in her liver. They are working on it now. She's lost a lot of blood, but she's currently stable."

"Please let me up, I need to see her." Randy tried to get up again but the doctors used more force to push him back down. Randy knew he was stronger than all of them and no amount of force was going to keep him from finding Al.

"Sir please lay down; we are trying to assess your injuries. You could have a concussion or worse."

"I'm a professional wrestler lady, I know what a concussion feels like and I don't have one. I'm not going to stop until you let me up!"

"Fine! Let him up!"

"Dr. Adams?" The doctors looked at her confused.

"I said let him up! But you have to promise you'll let us run our tests when you calm down"

Randy nodded as the doctors released him and let him sit up. "I want to see my daughter."

"Sir, you…"

"Randy, my name is Randy."

"Hi Randy, I'm doctor Leslie Adams. You can't see your daughter, they already have her on the operating table. The last update I received was that she had sustained a decent amount of internal bleeding due to a punctured liver caused by a broken rib. But, I'm guessing that's not enough information for you is it?"

Randy shook his head as the tears began flowing down his face. "Please doctor…"

She sighed, "Ok, come with me. I'll see what else I can find out. But after that, you're getting some tests run."

He nodded as he followed her out of the room. As he began walking, his body began screaming at him. Every muscle in his body was sore, especially his lower back. He followed her as far down the hall as she would let him go. "Ok, wait here while I go and check on her. What is her name?"

Randy barely whispered "Alanna" before breaking down into tears again. Dr. Adams sympathetically looked at him, "Randy, she's going to be fine. You just need to be strong. Do you need us to call your wife?"

At the mention of the word wife, anger began to pulse through Randy's body. "No, I'll call her." She guided him to the nearest phone. "You can call her from here. I'll be back as soon as I check on Alanna's status."

Randy dialed Sam's cell and again it went straight to voicemail. He looked around for the nearest clock and saw that it was now past 2 AM. There was no way the movie was running this late. "Sam, its Randy…where the hell are you? Me and Al were in a car accident and we are in the emergency room at Kindred. Al's currently getting operated on…" He started crying, but continued on, "She has a punctured liver caused by a broken rib. I'm waiting to get an update on her now. Please get here as soon as you can."

He paced back and forth until he saw Dr. Adam's making her way back to him. He eagerly walked up to her. "Well, how is she doing?"

Dr. Adams smiled, "She's fine Randy. They are closing her up right now. We are going to put her in a recovery room and as soon as we run some tests on you, we'll put you in the same room as her." She pulled a spare wheel chair over and gave him a stern look. "Now, sit down. I want to run a full body CT scan on you…including that head of yours. We need to make sure that laceration on your forehead is the extent of the damage to your brain.

* * *

><p>Trish paced around the hotel room. She hadn't received a text message from Randy yet and it was going on 2:30. He should've been home sometime around midnight. He could've simply forgotten to text her, but that doesn't seem like him. She thought about sending him a text, but hesitated…what if Sam would see the text? That wouldn't help his cause. She stared at her phone for a few more seconds…<em>Screw it, I'm texting him. Sam will just have to deal with it.<em>

* * *

><p>Randy sat next to Alanna's hospital bed and watched her sleep. The fear and concern that he felt began to subside with the steady beat of the heart monitor. An intern walked into the room carrying two charts with her. "Mr. Orton, hi I'm Dr. Anders. I have your test results with me and I'm also going to check on Alanna's vitals."<p>

Randy nodded and shifted his attention to the doctor. He could tell she must've been an intern. She looked young, and nervous…like she was new at this. He chuckled to himself and he watched her fumble with his chart. "Ok, it looks like everything seems to check out fine with you, other than the gash on your forehead, in which case we'll just have to get those stitches removed when it's time. The police spoke with us about the accident and the car that hit you actually hit directly on the back passenger side, which explains why Alanna's injuries were more serious."

Randy cringed just remembering the accident. The intern then began looking at Alanna's chart. "Is your wife on her way? We haven't seen anyone in the waiting room yet."

He nodded and looked down, "Yeah, I tried to call her but I haven't been successful in reaching her yet."

The intern nodded, still looking at Alanna's chart. Her face crinkled slightly, becoming perplexed. "So how long have you had Alanna?"

Randy looked up confused, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, how old was she when you adopted her?"

Randy gave the intern an unsure look, "We didn't adopt her…she's our biological daughter."

The intern's eyes grew wide upon what she had just discovered. She looked up at Randy and quickly tried to hide the surprise on her face.

Randy picked up immediately on the stunned look she had given. "What?"

The intern began to get worked up, "It's nothing. I just…um, I just read the chart wrong, that's all."

Randy stood up from his seat and walked over to her and grabbed the chart out of her hands. "No, something you see isn't making sense to you and I want to know what it is. Please, tell me."

The intern looked at him unsure. "Um, ok…well…" she hesitated and took a deep breath before continuing, "It's just, I noticed on your chart that your blood type is AB+…which makes you like the ideal plasma donor…" He gave her a look to continue. "I just mean, your blood type is extremely rare."

Randy looked at her expectantly, "Yeah, and?"

"Well, that means that your daughter should have either A, B, or AB blood types depending on your wife's type….but…" She stopped and looked up at him and took another deep breath. "But Alanna's type is O+."

Randy looked at her blankly, he knew what she was saying, but he simply couldn't believe it.

"This means, it's scientifically impossible for your blood type to be AB+ and your daughter's to be O+."

Randy nodded and sat back down, letting everything sink in. "I know what you're telling me…"

"I'm sorry, sir…that you had to find out this way…"

Randy looked up at her, the tears slowly starting to form in his eyes. "Can you leave us alone please?"

The intern nodded and practically sprinted out of the room.

Randy broke down into tears immediately after she left. Alanna wasn't his daughter. HE couldn't even think it, let alone say it out loud. He put his head down on the bed and began sobbing uncontrollably. He was so angry yet so heartbroken at the same time. This was the ultimate form of betrayal. It was bad enough he thought Sam was cheating on him, but to find out that she's been keeping this lie for 4 years, was unbearable.

He looked up at Alanna and held her hand. She was a victim in this vicious lie just as Randy was. She didn't deserve to have her real father taken away from her, just as Randy didn't deserve the false thought that she was truly his daughter. He began crying again.

Sam came flying into the room at that moment and saw Randy crying. She was a mix of emotions ranging from worry, confusion and anger. "Randy! What's wrong? Is she ok? Are you ok? What the hell are you doing home?"

Randy could feel his body burning with anger. It was going to take every ounce of strength he had not to slam Sam up against the wall and strangle her until her face turned blue. One thing he always prided himself in was that no matter how bad his anger got, he would never lay a hand on a woman. That notion changed today. Of course, he wouldn't truly hurt her, but his mind was certainly envisioning it.

"How long Sam?"

Sam looked at him confused. "What? Randy, what are you talking about?"

"Where the hell were you all night?"

Sam hesitated, "I was at a late movie with the girls. My phone was on vibrate and I didn't feel it in my purse. I also wasn't expecting you to come home."

Randy took a deep breath, trying to remain as calm as possible. "Stop lying to me. How long has this been going on?"

Sam looked at him, the tears building in her eyes. She knew she was caught. "A few months."

"Stop lying to me! I know Sam!" His stomach was doing somersaults, his head ached, and his whole body shook with anger.

"What are you talking about? You know what?"

"I know Alanna is not my daughter!" He screamed it, louder than he probably should have, considering they were in a hospital. Alanna didn't stir though, however she was still sedated from the surgery.

Sam looked at him with a shocked look before breaking down into tears. "I'm sorry! I swear it only happened once! It was a mistake and I know that! So when I became pregnant, I assumed the child was yours! I mean, our sex was constant so I assumed the odds were good."

Randy laughed sardonically. "You really are something! I want the whole story…who he is, when it happened, and where you were. And then I want to know all about your current lover, or should I say David."

Sam took a deep breath and sat down. She looked at Alanna sleeping soundly in the bed, she had cuts on her arms, and a few on her face as well. "I first met David five years ago. It was about two weeks after we had returned from our honeymoon. It was one of our random girls night out dates. I met David at Jack's Bar that night. He was in town for a business trip and was there with a bunch of his coworkers. Our groups hit it off and by the end of the night, he invited me back to his hotel for one final drink."

A tear fell from her face, "I was so confused after we had gotten married. I was having trouble dealing with the fact that my single life was over. At first, I thought maybe we had made a mistake. So, I was confused when I went back to the hotel with David. We had a drink at the bar, and the next thing I knew, we were in his room. I was drunk and didn't realize what I was doing."

Randy rubbed his temples…he wanted to hear everything, but he didn't realize how painful it was to listen to it all.

"About a month later, I found out I was pregnant and I just assumed it was yours, because like I said, it only happened one time with David."

"And now? I assume he's back in your life? Since he did show up at our New Years party."

"He moved to St. Louis about eight months ago. This has been going on with us for about four months."

"Does he know you're married?" Randy asked, already knowing the answer.

Sam nodded, "Yes, he does. He knew the first night we hooked up too."

"Does he know about Alanna?" Randy was keeping his cool, much to his surprise. But at this point, he felt completely numb.

She shook her head and whispered out, "No."

"Well, you need to tell him…he needs to know he has a daughter." Randy started crying again, thinking about Alanna and how drastically his life was going to change. Even though Sam didn't know Alanna wasn't his, she cheated on him many times…too many times to forgive and forget. He would never be able to trust her again. He knew what he needed to do.

Sam shook her head fervently, becoming hysterical. "No, I don't need to tell him. He doesn't need to know. We can just put all this behind us and move forward. Randy, you've been Alanna's father for four years now. Just because a test says that she isn't yours doesn't mean she still can't be yours. I'm so, so sorry for everything. But we can get through this." Sam got out of her seat and walked over to Randy, trying to pull him into a hug.

"No Sam." He pushed her away. He couldn't touch her, hell, even looking at her made him sick. "There is no way to fix this. You've been cheating on me for months now and turning the tables, blaming me for cheating on you! That's a new low, even for you. I'm sorry Sam, but this marriage was based on lies from the moment we said 'I do'. So I'm done with this… I want a divorce."

He started crying again, watching as the tears began to roll down her face. He looked at Alanna once more. "You better tell David about Alanna…cause if you don't, I will!" With that, he stormed out of the hospital room.

* * *

><p>Trish dialed Randy's number. It was now close to four in the morning and she never heard from him. The phone went directly to voicemail without ringing. "Randy, it's Trish. I'm sorry for calling so late, but I'm really worried about you considering you were supposed to text me when you got home and you never did. If you get this, please call me back…I feel like something is wrong and…I just…I just want to make sure you're ok."<p> 


	23. Chapter 23

Here's an update for everyone! Hang tight everyone, I promise you'll have more Randy/Trish action in a few chapters! OH, and if anyone is interested in "Randy's Get Over the Douche" playlist, I can give you the songs I used as my inspiration. Enjoy!

Chapter 23

Trish jumped out of bed the next morning. "Shit! It's almost 10 AM! I was supposed to be on the road over an hour ago! At this rate I'm not going to get into Tulsa until around 4!"

She started throwing her clothes into her suitcase. She was beyond exhausted, having slept soundly for only four hours last night. She woke up every hour, checking her phone for a missed call or text message from Randy that she never received.

She pulled her hair up into a messy bun and jumped in the shower. Five minutes later, she was out and dressed. She applied a small amount of makeup, zipped up her suitcase and hit checked out of the hotel. She threw her luggage in the trunk of the car and checked her cell…still no word from Randy.

Her stomach churned as she tried to call him again. At least this time the cell actually rang, however after five rings, it went to voicemail. "Orton, its Trish…again…I know something is wrong. You would've answered me or at least texted me by now. If you don't send me some sort of indication letting me know you're ok, I'm going to take drastic measures and call Sam…which I really really don't want to do…so PLEASE, call me, text me, anything!"

She picked up her ipod and began shuffling through the playlists she created when she came across one called 'Randy's Forget the Douche Mix'. She began laughing uncontrollably. She had no idea when he even put the playlist on her ipod. She smiled to herself, thinking about how cute he could be, and then pressed play.

The mix consisted mostly of upbeat songs with messages of moving on and getting over lost love. As Trish listened to the songs, she began to think of Ron and how she really hadn't missed him since New Years. Granted, there was enough drama in her life to keep her mind preoccupied, but she found the busier she kept herself, the easier getting over him was becoming.

She then thought about all the drama in her life. Being friends with Randy seemed to make her life much more chaotic than she remembered it to be. She thought back to the first night she really opened up to him. She smiled, remembering their first dance. She was so happy at that moment. Of course, if she would have listened to her body, she wouldn't have ignored the initial attraction to him and she wouldn't be in this current position.

She then thought back to their walk on the beach and the conversation they had. Everything was so easy with him. Opening up to him, joking with him, enjoying each other's company…it all felt so right. She was starting to realize that Randy was the entire package. He was everything she ever wanted in a partner…except that he was married and unavailable. But what if her instincts were wrong? Though she feels like he is the perfect partner for her, she used to feel that way about Ron too. What if she was wrong? What if her whole perception of the perfect man is not the best fit for her?

She realized letting her heart fall again would be quite a hurdle to overcome. She was afraid to fall in love. The romantic notion that everyone talks about, where the pain is beautiful and poetic, well it's garbage. It hurts like hell…to the point where you feel your heart has been ripped out of your chest and can never be mended. Like it's ripped into a thousand pieces and it can never be put back together. So of course she was hesitant to let herself fall again.

Falling for Randy could be the worst idea she's ever had as well. Randy can't catch her as she falls for him…his arms are already full with a wife and a child. So though these next few weeks would be lonely for her, traveling by herself while Randy heals his injuries, they are more than needed. She needed to take a long break from Randy in order to dismiss these feelings for him. She heard the saying many times before, 'You can't help who you fall in love with', but she could. It was her heart and if she willed herself to stop the feelings, then she would. Her heart was on lock down for all men, especially Randy.

Around four hours into her trip, she heard her text message notification beep on her phone. She saw it was from Randy and the churning in her stomach finally came to a halt. She was so relieved until she opened the message.

'Where are you staying at tonight?'

She looked at it and grunted. "What? That's all I get? Hi Trish, yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for worrying you, everything is good. That's what the idiot SHOULD be writing!" She then realized she was talking to herself and chuckled. _At least I didn't answer myself!_ She responded to his text.

'At the Doubletree...downtown Tulsa. WHY? Are you ok? You're freaking me out!'

Her stomach started turning again from his cryptic text message. She was going to find John as soon as she got to the arena. Maybe he could help her figure out what's going on with Randy, if he didn't already know.

* * *

><p>Trish arrived at the arena shortly after 5 PM. The second she walked in the door she started her search for John. Unfortunately, she didn't find him for another two hours.<p>

"John! Wait up! I need to talk to you!" She yelled down the hall, spotting himand breaking out into a run to catch up with him.

He smiled at her, giving her the warm welcome that has been absent for the past few days. "Hey Trish, what's up?"

"Have you heard from Randy today at all?"

He shook his head, "No, I know he left for home last night, but I haven't heard from him. Why? What's wrong?"

"Well, he was supposed to text me when he made it home last night and I never received a message from him. So, I texted and called a few times. At first, my calls were going straight into voicemail, and then today, it finally rang, but still went into voicemail. Then I got a crypt text message from him asking me where I was staying tonight. I'm worried, this isn't like him."

John nodded, "Well, I know he was going to talk with Sam about some problems they've been having, so maybe they made up and don't want to be bothered? Or….the talk could have gone extremely bad."

Trish looked at him with concerning eyes. "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."

"I'll tell ya what. I have to run real quick and shoot a promo with Eve and Glenn, but as soon as I'm done, I'll try to call him and if I don't hear back, I'll call Sam. Deal?"

Trish nodded, "Ok, let me know if you hear from him."

* * *

><p>Trish wheeled her suitcase into her room. Her body was screaming after her fight with Beth. Overall, yoga was helping her with the soreness she used to experience. But sometimes, the pain can't be stopped. A few rough bumps and the soreness is inevitable. She started the water, ready to take a nice long bath when there was a knock at her door. She assumed it was John, hopefully with news on Randy.<p>

She stood amazed at what she found as she opened the door. There, directly in front her, held up on each side by Matt and Nick, hung Randy. He was completely wasted to the point where if Nick and Matt would have let him go, he would have fell to the floor like melted jello. They both gave her concerned looks. "We didn't know who else to go to…" Matt started.

Trish shook her head, getting over her initial shock. "Oh my god, put him on the bed."

"We stopped at the hotel bar for a quick drink and we found him passed out on the bar. The bartender was literally seconds away from calling the cops. He said Randy had been there since about 5 PM." Nick said just as Randy attempted to speak.

He lunged himself at Trish, in what appeared to be a hug. None of them could make out what Randy was saying, as it came out a slurred mess. Trish noticed that he was crying though and realized the talk with Sam must have gone bad. As Trish supported him, he became extremely heavy to the point that Matt and Nick had to pull him off of her. They laid him on the bed before turning back to Trish.

"We didn't know if he had a room, or what the deal was. But, I figured since the two of you were so close, you'd know what to do?" Matt said, looking extremely concerned.

"Yeah guys, I'll take if from here. Thanks for bringing him to me. And thank God you stopped at the bar for a drink…otherwise, he'd be in jail right now and that's the last thing he needs."

"Call me if you need anything Trish…I'm just down the hall." Matt said as he gave her a hug and a little smile.

She nodded showing them both out. As she closed the door, she walked back to the bed and checked on Randy. He was passed out and Trish's maternal instincts kicked in. She rolled him over onto his stomach in case he puked in his sleep. This way, he wouldn't choke on his vomit. She then took off his shoes. She hesitated for a second, trying to decide if she should remove his pants. She knew from experience that sleeping in jeans was not comfortable. But then she remembered the promise she made herself earlier today.

She was on lockdown, she was getting over these feelings for Randy. Sleeping in a bed with him half naked was not going to help her cause. So, she decided to leave him the way he was. She picked up her cell and called John.

"Hey, it's me. Did you have any luck with Randy or Sam?"

From the other end of the cell, John responded. "Randy didn't answer when I called him. And I haven't had a chance to call Sam yet."

"Well, I think I know why Randy didn't answer…and you also don't have to call Sam. Randy is currently in my hotel room, passed out wasted. Nick and Matt just brought him up. They said he was in the hotel bar since about 5 PM. He can't even speak…but I think something bad happened because he was crying."

"Shit…really? What do you need me to do? I can come down and drag him to my room if you'd like."

Trish sighed, looking at the pathetic sleeping form in front of her. "No, just let him sleep it off here. I have a couch I can crash on if need be. Besides, I probably won't get much sleep…I need to make sure he can find the bathroom whenever he does move."

John chuckled, "He really doesn't deserve a friend like you."

Trish laughed, "Oh John its karma. I'd like to think one day I'm going to need him and he better be there for me! And besides, I'm definitely going to hold this over his head for quite some time! I'll call you tomorrow morning when he wakes up. Once I figure out what the hell is going on."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

_A wise man once said, 'Life is like the weather, sometimes unpredictable and always changing. Some days can be filled with sunlight, while other days a storm could blow through. And every so often, natural disasters like a hurricane can occur. You won't remember how you made it through, or how you managed to survive. But one thing is certain, when you come out, you won't be the same person who walked in. Life can be sometimes cruel like that. Not everyone who goes through these harsh challenges, these hurricanes, comes out unscathed; you can only hope to persevere and triumph despite the odds.'_

Randy squinted as sunlight invaded his slumber. His mouth felt like he had swallowed a pound of sand and his head felt like it was run over by Mack truck. Between the effects of the alcohol and the car accident, ripping his head off his body would be quite an improvement to how he currently felt. And regardless of the amount of alcohol he drank, and the fact that he had no idea where he was, he still was not able to destroy the heart wrenching realization that he was not Alanna's father.

He sat up and looked around the room, focusing on his surroundings until he saw Trish. She had just pulled the blinds in the room open and had an unexplainable expression on her face. She walked up to him and handed him a glass of water and a pain reliever. "Here, take these. It's not going to take all the pain away, but it's a start."

She sat down on the bed next to him, "Oh my God, you smell like Jack Daniels…what the hell is going on with you? And how did you get that nasty cut on your head?" She assumed it was from a fight, perhaps with David?

He broke down and began crying instantly. Trish was caught off guard, he had never cried in front of her before. Not many men in her life have…and it deeply affected her. Its one thing to see a woman cry, for some reason, it's expected. But, men rarely cry…and when they do, you automatically know something is terribly wrong.

He inhaled in deep breaths, trying to slow down his sobbing to form a complete sentence.

"Alanna isn't my daughter."

Trish sat there shocked for a second; she was not expecting this…not one bit. She had prepared herself and thought of positive reinforcement to tell Randy in the case that Sam was cheating on him…but she wasn't prepared to hear those words. She swallowed hard, wrapping her head around what he had just told her.

"How do you know that? Did Sam tell you that?"

He rubbed some of the tears out of his eyes. "Our blood types are completely different…to the point where it is scientifically impossible."

She shook her head, becoming confused, "How did you find that out? Did you do a DNA test or something?"

"No, we were in a car accident last night. Al was in surgery and I had tests run. The doctor noticed the differences in blood types when she stopped in for her rounds. She thought we had adopted Al." He started crying again.

Trish's eyes grew wide with shock and concern. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. She could feel his whole body shake with every sob he took.

"Oh my God Randy, is she ok? Are you?"

"She's fine…at least she was when I walked out. They had to repair a tear in her liver. And my test results came back good…no concussions or anything like that."

"You walked out?" Trish gave him a sympathetic look.

He nodded, "She's not my daughter and I was two seconds from actually hurting Sam."

"So you talked to Sam?"

His blue eyes, bloodshot and puffy, looked into Trish's eyes, "You were right…this whole time. I'm such an idiot for not seeing it sooner." He broke down again, "She's been cheating on me for four months." He contemptuously laughed, "It took me four months to figure it out…and to make matters worse, she cheated on me two weeks after we were married. Two weeks Trish…not a year, or even a month! Two fucking weeks!"

Trish didn't know what to say, if she should even say anything. Did Sam have no morals? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Randy didn't deserve this…he would do anything for Sam and Alanna. Sam truly was a monster to put him through all this. She gave him another hug and ran her hand down his back, letting the tips of her fingers do most of the work to try and soothe him in any way she could, though she realized this was definitely the worst day of his life.

"It was with David. They met at a bar randomly two weeks after we were married and she slept with him. She claims she didn't know he was the father of Alanna. She said it only had happened once. He was only in town for business…until recently away. He moved to St. Louis about 5 months ago."

He paused for a long time, before continuing, "She said he doesn't know Alanna is his daughter. I told her she needs to tell him or I'm going to. And I told her I want a divorce."

Trish nodded, thinking about the implications now lining his life. "Are you sure that's what you really want?"

He pulled away from her and looked at her incredulously. "Yes, I'm sure! Our entire marriage has been a lie! I can never trust her again…ever…especially with the travel demanded by our jobs."

Trish bit her bottom lip, "But Randy, I'm not sure you'd get any custody rights to Alanna…can you simply walk away from her?"

He looked at her blankly, realizing what she was saying. "You're saying if I get a divorce, I'll lose my rights to see Alanna because I'm not her biological father? But my name is on her birth certificate!"

"Yeah, incorrectly! All David has to do is prove he's the father of Alanna and they'll re-issue a corrected birth certificate. All I'm trying to say is that you've raised Alanna for almost five years now. She knows you as her father…a piece of paper isn't going to change that. Think about her, Randy…she's a victim in this just like you are."

He stood abruptly and began pacing, "You don't think I know that? I'm sorry, but I can't forfeit my happiness in life just to save Alanna's happiness. I can't stay in an unhappy, unwanted, and hostile marriage just so that Alanna has a father. I mean, what the fuck am I even saying? She has a father! It's not like Sam has no idea who the father is! He needs to take responsibility for his actions in this whole mess!"

"Ok, ok, please don't get worked up. I see your point, I'm just trying to open you up to a different point of view."

He sighed, "I know…I sound so extremely selfish right now." He sat down on the corner of the bed with his back to Trish and ran his hands through his hair. "To be completely honest, I don't know if I can look at Alanna and not dwell on Sam's indiscretions. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get over it."

She crawled across the bed and sat down next to him again, "Look, I'm not the one in your shoes, so I can't understand the emotions behind your anger and I may never understand. But, I'm here for you…in any and every way I can be. You don't have to make this decision right away..."

He stood up again, and began pacing. She could see his chest rising and falling with each deep breath he took. She saw the tears threatening to fall again and at that moment she felt completely helpless. Nothing she could say was going to help him.

"You don't understand my emotions? I'm angry, I'm confused…I'm miserable, heartbroken, betrayed, conflicted, and extremely damaged! Just thinking about Sam and what a lying, conniving bitch she is makes me want to puke! And then there's Alanna who is completely innocent in all of this, that I still love to this day more than anything in the world! I want to be known as her father, but David has a right to know he has a child! If the roles were reversed, and I had a child that I had no idea about, I would want to know too. But she can't have two fathers!"

He started to cry again and this time dropped down to his knees. Trish walked over to him and began to help him up. "Come on, let's lay down for a little bit…you need to get some sleep and try not to think about things. I'll lay with you…I don't have to get over to the arena just yet."

He lay down with her, resting his head on her stomach as he sobbed. Trish soothingly tried to run her fingers through his hair in an effort to help him fall asleep. She still couldn't believe Sam could do this to Randy. This type of stuff was only supposed to happen in movies…not to good people who don't deserve it. It wasn't fair. She wished she could jump inside of Randy and take away all the hurt and anger he was feeling. She also wished she could take a baseball bat to Sam's head.

* * *

><p>Trish looked at the clock. It was close to 5:30 PM and she needed to get to the arena. Randy had finally fallen asleep about 2 hours after they laid down and was still sound asleep on her stomach. She really didn't want to move, she was afraid that she would wake him, but she really had to go. As she wiggled out from underneath him, she replaced the void of her stomach with a pillow. He stirred slightly, but continued to sleep. She wrote a quick note, telling him she had to go and that she would be back as soon as possible bringing food with her.<p>

John found Trish as soon as she entered the arena. "There you are! I've been looking for you all day! I tried calling you, texting you…I called Randy, texted Randy and I get nothing!"

"I'm sorry John, I turned off the ringers on our phones…Randy finally fell asleep about two hours ago…he's still sleeping."

"So what the hell is going on? Is Sam cheating on him?"

"Yeah, it turns out she is…"

"Shit, when he told me about things, I had this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach that she was."

"Yeah, well I wish that were the worst of the news, but it's not…"

John looked at her expectantly, looking her right in the eyes, "What is?"

She hesitated, unsure if she should be the one to tell John. But he was Randy's best friend, if anyone could help Randy through this, it was him. "Alanna is not his daughter. Sam cheated on him two weeks after they were married...with the infamous David."

John looked legitimately shocked. He ran his hands through his hair and shook his head. It was as if he was in disbelief that Sam could ever do anything so downright low. "Has she been cheating on him this whole time?"

"Sort of, it supposedly only happened once five years ago and then recently it started again. She's been cheating on him for the past four months."

"Did she know the truth about Alanna from the start?"

Trish shook her head, "No, she honestly thought Alanna was Randy's as she only slept with David one time."

"Well, at least she didn't keep the lie from him for five years."

A bitter look crossed Trish's face. She tried to hide it, but she always was one to show her emotions. "Come off it John. When are you going to start acting like Randy's best friend instead of Sam's?"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"What does that mean? There is no way Sam wouldn't have had any type of thought resonating in the back of her mind that the child she was carrying could have possibly had another father! Any woman who was sleeping with two people at the same time would worry about that! She was too much of a coward to admit her mistakes and learn the truth! And yet, here you stand defending her still! Stop defending her! She doesn't deserve it!"

John looked down at his shoes, he couldn't meet her eyes. She was right…he was being a terrible friend to Randy…and to Trish for that matter. "You're right…I suck. I owe you and him both apologies. I should never have judged him…or you."

"Look, it's in the past. What matters is that you're here for him now. I'm going to take food back to him after I'm done tonight…do you want to stop over when you get back to the hotel? I'm sure he'll want to see you."

John nodded, "Yeah, I can do that. Phil is the final match tonight so I should be able to sneak out earlier."

* * *

><p>Trish wrestled with hotel key card until she was able to slide it into the slot, her hands full of take out containers. She was able to nudge her foot in the crack and squeezed through. She didn't know what Randy would be in the mood for, so she ordered a whole bunch of stuff. She walked further into the room to find it empty. She looked to see if he left a note, but there wasn't one…and he left his cell. If this was his way of telling her he needed to be alone, she got the message loud and clear.<p>

John stopped over about an hour later and knocked on the door. Trish jumped up off the bed and ran to the door, hoping it was Randy on the other end. She threw a disappointed look when she saw it was John.

"Wow, Trish, you really need to try and mask your facial expressions better! I'm obviously not the person you were expecting!"

Trish threw a hand through her hair and sighed, "Sorry John, I thought you were Randy."

"He's not here?"

"No, he was gone when I came back…and he left his cell and no note. So he obviously wants to be alone. Should we go looking for him?"

"Are his car keys still here?"

Trish started looking around the room for his keys and found them on the dresser. "Yup, they're still here…so that means he couldn't have gone far."

John shook his head and looked her in the eyes, "Betcha twenty bucks he's back at the bar."

* * *

><p>Trish and John walked into the hotel bar and found Randy between two scantily clad women, along with Nick and two more barely dressed women.<p>

Trish was taken aback; it was like she had gone back in time six years. The man standing before her was not the Randy she had gotten to know and developed feelings for. It was as if he had gone up in flames and what was resurrected out of the ashes was the pompous, angry, addictive Randy.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to join the party!" Randy said, turning around and motioning towards Trish. "There's always room for one more beautiful lady next to me!"

Trish could smell the alcohol on Randy's breath, even though she stood about 2 feet from him. John stepped between the two of them, noticing the hurt look on Trish's face. "Hey there Romeo, how about you come back upstairs with us and grab a bite to eat. Trish brought all kinds of grub back."

Nick turned and acknowledged them. "Why they hell would he want to go upstairs with your ugly ass when he has two mighty fine specimens on each side of him?"

The girls giggled uncontrollably. John rolled his eyes at the intelligence, or lack thereof, oozing out of the tramps. He looked at Nick, "You obviously didn't waste any time getting back on the market…how long have you and Brie been broken up for? All of about two hours?"

Trish hid her shocked look; she didn't know Nick and Brie broke up. _ Just what Randy needs…a wing man. _

She looked at Randy, "Randy, we all leave for San Diego tomorrow. Our flights all leave early. You're going to have to go home and deal with this…you can't keep drinking until you forget…cause I promise you, tomorrow morning the truth will be staring you right in the face again."

"Thank you, Dr. Phil, for your wonderful poetic insight, but I'm not going home. I'm headed to the sunny state of California too! I can't leave Nick alone to bask in the attention of the beautiful blondes of Califonia, now can I?"

"That's right my man!" Nick said, giving Randy a high five. "Bartender, another round of shots here!"

John shook his head, "Man, you know you need to go home and take care of things. You can't just run."

Randy narrowed his eyes at John. "You don't know anything about what's going on John, so just shut your fucking mouth…unless you opened your big trap." He looked at Trish accusingly.

Trish looked at him shocked and hurt, as long as she's been traveling with Randy, he's never been disrespectful to Trish….until right now. She crossed her arms and became the bitch that she rarely ever had to be. "Yes, Randy…I opened my fucking big trap and told your best friend who's been worried sick about you what is going on with you. I also drug your drunk ass into a bed last night, took care of you this morning, listened to you ball your eyes out, laid with you until you fell asleep, and rushed home after the arena to bring you food. And now, I'm calling you a fucking douche bag and walking away. I deserve better than the way you're treating me right now. So you better find yourself another room to sleep in tonight, cause you're not coming back to my room…but by the looks of it, I'm sure you'll have no problem shacking up with one of your whores. Be careful rats, he's a lousy drunk."

She turned on her heels and stomped out of the bar. John turned and watched her leave as Randy turned around and slammed his hand on the bar. The two girls on each side jumped at the noise and slowly rose from the bar seats, eager to get away from the self destructing Randy. "Thanks for the drinks…we're going to get going." John had never seen two girls leave a bar so quickly. "Wow Rand, you really know how to charm em!" Randy didn't respond…he continued to stare straight ahead.

John sighed, "Ok, I get the point. I'll leave you alone." He started to walk away, but turned around quickly, grabbed Randy by the arm and spun him around. Randy began to struggle but John grabbed him with both hands by the shirt and pulled him off the seat. He violently began to shake him and raised his voice at a last attempt to get through to him. "Look, Randy, I know from experience…whatever answers you're looking for - you're not gonna find 'em like this. Trust me! Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up…The darkness doesn't have any answers…you know this! Don't turn back into the bad Randy."

He let go of Randy's shirt and looked him in the eyes. "Don't turn back into the bad Randy…because this time, you've just pushed away the two people that care about you most in this company." John's eyes became watery, "And neither of us will be around to the call 911 the next time you over dose on pain killers." He released Randy's shirt and quickly made his way out of the bar.

Randy sat back down at the bar and put his hands over his face, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. He thought back to the time that he overdosed on pain killers. It was so easy for him to forget about, but it still felt just like yesterday. If it wasn't for Sam, he wouldn't be here today. She had called 911 before he was too far gone and saved his life. Back then, Sam was the only one who stuck by his side. He had pushed everyone else in his life away, but she was the only who put up with his shit.

A sense of bitterness erupted from his body as he continued to think of Sam. _She only put up with my shit because she had no where else to go and she loved the comfortable life and expensive things I provided her. If David lived in St. Louis back then, she would have left me in an instant._

"Randy, fuck both of them. They are so self righteous…don't listen to their holier than thou speeches." Nick slid a shot down to Randy, "Here, a shot for you…and you can crash in my room tonight. You can keep Amber company while I make sure Mandy doesn't get lonely!"


	25. Chapter 25

Ok everyone! Here is the chapter I think you've all been waiting for!

I do not own either song in this chapter. The Hurricane is owned by 30 Seconds to Mars and Scream is owned by Usher.

I don't own the characters either, obviously.

**WARNING – there is mature content in this chapter, so if you are not all about that, you may not want to read!**

Chapter 25

Trish stretched in the ring, preparing for her training session with Phil, John, Beth and Nattie. It had been two weeks since she had last spoken to Randy. After she walked out of the bar that night, she cut off all contact with him. He needed to know that he hurt her and he needed to be the one to make amends. But two weeks had passed and he'd made no attempt to reach out to her…he actually has done quite the opposite. He's walked by her on countless occasions without a word, or even a look.

"Hey there baby girl." She was pulled out of her thoughts to find John rolling into the ring. "How are you holding up?"

Trish nodded and looked down, "Ok I guess….has he reached out to you yet?"

John shook his head and looked down dejectedly, "Nope. But I've heard stories."

Trish cringed. "I shouldn't have given up on him. I should be in his face every single day trying to make a difference. I'm a terrible friend…Sam stuck by his side when he was like this before. What does that say about me?"

"Trish, stop it. First of all, you haven't given up on him. Have you not thought about him every single day since you walked out of that bar?"

Her head fell as she sighed, "Every second of every day."

"Well then, you still care and you're still worried. And to be completely honest with you, Sam may have stuck around last time, but he wasn't nearly as bad back then as he is now. Back then he'd only have a few nights a week where he was drunk or messed up on pain killers. But there were quite a few days where he was sober…but man, he was an angry son of a bitch! But now? Now, he's drunk every single night, coupled with his anger…he's a ticking time bomb. And to be honest, upper management has gotten wind of this as well. If he doesn't shape up and soon, Vince is going to step in and do something about it."

Trish nodded…this should be the last thing on her mind right now. Tonight was the Royal Rumble and she was going to win the women's championship back. It was going to be her eighth title reign and all she could do was worry about Randy and how bad he's going to be tonight, as they were in St. Louis for the show. This is the first time Randy's been home since the night he left the hospital. And she had no idea if he had even tried to contact Sam, or if Sam had tried to reach out to him.

"Well, I do have something that could hopefully cheer you up…I found her out in the parking lot and knew she'd be able to help you."

Trish looked up at John with a confused look on her face. "What?"

"What's up bitch?"

Trish turned to find Amy making her way into the ring. Trish's eyes lit up immediately and she jumped up, practically throwing herself on Amy and into a hug.

Amy laughed, "I missed you too!"

Trish pulled out of the hug; she was almost in tears, she was so happy to see her. "Oh my God! What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? My best friend is about to win the title back! I couldn't miss this for the world…and…we're all set for Wrestlemania! Stephanie called and we agreed to the terms! I'm actually here to sign the contract tonight!"

Trish gave Amy another hug, she was so happy she could almost cry. "So, what's the story? When do you come back to action?"

"At the Elimination Chamber…just as we discussed. Beth will get her redemption title shot match against you and Nattie is going to come down for the double team. I'm going to run out for the save. Then I'm going to do two other Raw's leading up to Mania…the Raw right after Elimination Chamber where they promised me a match against Beth, and the Raw leading into Mania."

Trish smiled "That's really great Ames!"

"Hey ladies! Look's like the team is all here!"

Trish, Amy, and John turned to see Beth and Nattie heading to the ring. John raised his hand, "Um…just for the record, I don't feel I should be categorized as a lady!"

Phil started walking down the ramp at this point as well. John noticed him almost immediately. "Oh thank God you're here man! The estrogen in this ring is starting to suffocate me!"

Phil jumped in the ring, "It looks like Trish found herself a partner!" He walked over to Amy, "Come here girl, it's been a while!" He gave Amy a hug that surprised Trish. She didn't realize they were that good of friends.

"Well, we gain a lady and we lose a man. But have no fear ladies and gentlemen; I have recruited a new individual to assist with the training efforts. "Hey Jerky! Get your ass down here!" He yelled up to the back of the arena.

Chris Irvine, better known to the wrestling world as Chris Jericho, came jogging through the curtain. Trish became even more excited when she saw Chris. It was like the old band was back together! He'd been back on Raw for a few weeks, but with all the drama Randy had brought into her life, she didn't have time to catch up with him.

Chris jumped in the ring and gave both Amy and Trish hugs. "Oh how I've missed you two!" All three of them felt the same camaraderie they had from years ago. "I can't believe you four are actually going to be in a TLC match this year at Mania! That is so fucking hardcore I love it!"

All of the ladies laughed and smiled, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride. "Alright, let's get going here. We've got a lot to cover and not too much time since it's such a big show tonight."

* * *

><p>Amy and Trish walked quietly back to the Divas locker room after their training. Both of them decided to go through a table during practice and both of them were already feeling the effects.<p>

"I can't wait to take a nice hot shower." Trish mumbled as they walked in.

"Hey girls!" Barb had just gotten out of the shower when she saw them come in. "Amy, it's so great to have you back! Even if it only is temporary!"

Amy smiled, "It's nice to be back! And I'm excited to see Trish win the title tonight too!"

Barb nodded, "So, does that mean you ladies are down for a celebration tonight? We're going to be hitting a club after the show…it's going to be a blast!"

Trish shook her head, "Oh, I don't…." Amy interrupted immediately, "Absolutely! We'll both be there!"

Barb smiled, pulling on her clothes. "Yes! That's what I'm talking about! We've been trying to get Trish out with us for months now! Who knew all I needed was to get Amy in town? I'll see you girls in a bit! I gotta go find Eve."

Trish threw Amy a look once Barb left.

"What? Come on Trish! You need a night out with the girls! John told me about what's going on with Randy…you need to get your mind off of him."

Trish sat down on a chair and gave Amy a defeated look. "I can't Ames. He's a mess…and he's pushing everyone away. It's amazing…at one point in time, we were extremely close and now he's like a complete stranger. He can walk by me without saying a word, without even a single acknowledging look. And it's like, this man that I knew so well…who knew me inside and out, can now walk past me, and just see right through me."

Amy gave Trish a sympathetic look and gave her a hug. "Look, I know this is hard on you…and you feel like a terrible person because you think you gave up on him. But, you need to know that sometimes it takes people walking away to make a difference. I guarantee Randy misses both you and John. Randy has to want to be better for himself…not for you or for John. He's standing at a crossroad right now in his life and he needs to make a decision. He can stand and fight and face the troubles staring him in the face, or he can avoid his troubles and take the coward's way out. Now, I think you and I both know Randy well enough to know he's not a coward. He'll find the bravery he needs to let someone in. And when he does, you and John will be there to welcome him back with open arms…because that's what friends do."

Trish started crying, she had been so lonely these past two weeks. It felt so good to have Amy there with her. She didn't realize just how much she missed her until she actually got to talk to her in person.

"Ah! Please don't cry!" Amy said, chuckling as she gave Trish a hug. "Can you just promise me one thing?"

Trish laughed, "What?"

Amy looked her in the eyes, "Can you just admit to me and to yourself that you have feelings for Randy?"

Trish threw her a shocked look. "What? No I don't! We're just friends! I've told you this already!"

Amy smiled coyly at her, "Yes, you have mentioned it…many times now if I do remember. However, you also admitted that you find him attractive!"

Trish started blushing, she had forgotten about that conversation. "So?"

"So Trish, I see how upset you are with what's going on with him. I know you! You've seen your other friends destroy their lives and you never broke down into tears over them!"

Trish knew what Amy said was true. She had watched both Matt and Jeff struggle with substance abuse problems and she was never brought to tears over it. It's not that she wasn't worried sick about them, because she was. And she was equally as close with them as she was with Randy. The difference between the two was that she was starting to develop feelings for Randy. But she was able to keep those feelings in check, to the point where she wouldn't act on them. However, admitting those feelings to Amy, would allow them to surface, which she desperately did not want.

She tried to throw Amy off track, "I would if it was you."

Amy gave her a bewildered look, "What?"

"If you had substance abuse issues, and I watched you destroy you life, it would bring me to tears…because you're like a sister to me."

Amy smiled at her sentiment, though she knew what Trish was trying to do. She dropped the conversation though. She knew it was only a matter of time before Trish would crack and break down.

* * *

><p><em>No matter how many deaths that I die I will never forget<br>No matter how many lies that I live I will never regret  
>There is a fire inside of this heart in a riot about to explode into flames<br>Where is your god? Where is your god? Where is your god?_

Randy sat in an unknown dive bar about two miles from the arena, listening to the song playing on the jukebox. The song couldn't describe how he felt any better. He had picked a bar he'd never been to before to protect his anonymity, and being in his hometown, that was nearly impossible to do.

He'd been avoiding everyone for weeks now. The calls from Sam had finally stopped a few days prior. It took her a week to get it through her thick skull that he didn't want to talk to her. His parents had tried calling as well…not nearly as frequent as Sam, but at least every other day. Then there was John and Trish. He was still so angry with them from that night in the bar. Granted, he barely remembered what they talked about, but he remembered enough of it to get the gist.

_The promises we made were not enough (Never play the game again)  
>The prayers that we have prayed were like a drug (Never gonna help me here)<br>The secrets that we sow we'll never know (Never sing a song a second time)  
>The love we had, the love we had, We had to let it go<br>(Never giving in again, never giving in again)_

He thought about Trish momentarily and felt bad for hurting her. He had walked by her countless times in the arena these past few weeks and acted as if he didn't see her. But he did…he saw her face every time he walked by and it killed him. He saw the tears that threatened to fall the first time he ignored her. He saw the anger boiling out of her the second time he ignored. And the last time he saw her, broke his heart. Because the last time he passed her, she treated him the same way he treated her. She acted as if she didn't even know him. That hit him hard.

She was set to win the title tonight. It was a huge night for her and he should be there to share it with her. Instead he couldn't get past the hole in his heart for Alanna, and he was stubborn as hell to even attempt to apologize to Trish. And the stories making their way around the locker room – he's heard them all. The number of women he supposedly slept with has hit double digits. But what people don't know is what goes on behind closed doors. People don't know that most of the nights, he passes out before they even get to first base.

And the nights where he doesn't pass out, he can't stop thinking about Trish long enough to even advance past second base. What he found strange was that in these two weeks, he never found himself missing Sam…she had betrayed him so badly that all the anger and bitterness he deflected on his friends was because of her. But he never found himself thinking about Sam…he only ever found himself thinking about Alanna and about Trish and that was it.

_Tell me would you kill to save a life?  
>Tell me would you kill to prove you're right?<br>Crash, crash, burn, let it all burn  
>This hurricane's chasing us all underground<em>

* * *

><p>Trish and Amy entered the club shortly after 11 PM. From the talk going around backstage, everyone was going, so she expected to see a lot of familiar faces. The music was pumping loud and the club was packed with people. She had to admit she was somewhat excited to be out at a club. She hadn't danced in a long time…too long actually. If anything, she was just going to enjoy herself and hang out with Amy just like it was old times.<p>

They made their way over to the bar and ordered a shot and a drink. Amy smiled at her, "Cheers…to your 8th title and to making history at Wrestlemania!" Trish smiled back, "Down the hatch!" They took the shot of tequila with ease, as if they never missed a beat. Trish checked Amy out and smiled, "Girl, you look so hot in that dress I'm ready to take you home!" Amy smiled and laughed. She had on a simple snake skin print dress. The dress was strapless with a plunging sweetheart neckline and ruche bodice. She finished the look with black stiletto strappy sandals.

"Not compared to you! If every guy doesn't hit on you in here tonight, it's only because I'm beating them off you with a stick! You look so sexy it's ridiculous!"

Trish smiled at Amy as she smoothed her skirt. She had decided to wear a halter top with a deep plunging neckline that V'd all the way down to her bellybutton. She wore a tight, sequined, red miniskirt. She finished her look off with a pair of black 5" pumps.

"Look over there…there's John and Phil!" At a table off in the distance, John and Phil sat, along with Matt, Beth, Brie, and Nicki. As they began to cut through the crowd to join them, Trish noticed Randy in the V.I.P section with two women draped on him. She quickly turned her head, pretending that she didn't see him. She didn't know if he saw her or not, she assumed he wouldn't care regardless. She wasn't going to let him ruin her night though…so as long as he stayed in V.I.P land, she'd be fine.

Randy noticed Trish the second she walked in the club. It was hard not to…she looked absolutely amazing. She never had flaunted her body off before but tonight was a different story. He licked his lips and swallowed hard. The plunging neckline that lay perfectly on each breast made his heart beat uncontrollably. The dirty thoughts of what he wanted to do to her started running through his mind.

He watched as she pretended to ignore him as she walked by. He knew she saw him and a ping of hurt hit him as he realized he wasn't going to receive her knockout smile or even hear her sweet laugh tonight.

By midnight, everyone had pretty much arrived. Stephen, Cody, Chris, Nick all came together, most likely after the Royal Rumble match had ended. Stephen had won the rumble this year and everyone had congratulated him and bought him rounds of shots.

Trish was feeling pretty good by this point. Amy kept the shots coming and both of them had let loose for the most part. "Trish!" Amy screamed above the music, "Let's go dance with Barb!" She pointed to where Barb was dancing. She had Eve down there with her. Trish nodded as they both made their way down.

The four of them were quickly surrounded by a group of guys on the dance floor. Two of the guys were actually very good looking and while the other two were cute, they seemed to be the epitome of male pigs. Unfortunately, they took interest in Eve and Amy. Within minutes, they tried making their advances on both Eve and Amy. Amy was very polite with them even though she could probably take them both out. The creep tried moving his hands up her thighs and she would simply push them back down.

Eve didn't have to push the other creep off her as Phil and John came up for the save. Phil started dancing with Amy, while John rescued Eve by pulling her into him. Trish smiled as she watched them all dance. The two other guys were still hanging around, dancing with Barb and Trish but being way more polite with their advances.

"Hi I'm Scott." The one said as he danced with Trish. She smiled, "I'm Trish."

"You're also gorgeous."

Trish laughed, "Thanks, but a little cheesy."

He laughed, "Yeah, my pick up lines normally are. How about I go with a classic one…can I buy you a drink?"

She nodded, "Better. Yes, I would love one."

They talked at the bar for about an hour before deciding to go back to the dance floor. She had learned that Scott was originally from Florida, but moved to St. Louis a few years ago. He was 38 years old, tall, probably at least 6 foot, with blonde hair and beautiful green eyes.

They joined Phil and Amy, Eve and John, and Barb and her male followers on the dance floor. By this point, everyone was feeling very good. Trish could honestly say that she was drunk. Her vision was starting to get hazy and things with Scott were starting to get hot and heavy.

As 'Scream' played over the speakers, Trish started to move to the beat.

_I see you over there so hypnotic,_

_Thinkin' 'bout what I'd do to that body,_

_I'll getchu like ooh baby baby, ooh baby baby_

_Got no drink in my hand, but I'm wasted _

_Gettin' drunk off the thought of you naked_

This was the most interaction she'd had with a man since Ron. It had been so long and felt it so good. As they continued dancing, their bodies became almost inseparable and his hands were starting to roam down her thighs, up her back, and even over her ass. She hadn't been touched in so long.

_And I've tried to fight it, to fight it_

_But you're so magnetic, magnetic_

_Got one life, just live it, just live it_

_Now relax and get on your back_

_If you wanna scream yeah,_

_Let me know and I'll take you there_

_Get you going like a-ooh baby baby, ooh baby baby_

Randy watched Trish from a distance while Nick and a multitude of women sat around them. He didn't even need the liquor to enhance his anger. He had noticed the blonde douche pull up on her from the beginning and after an hour of torture, it had just escalated to a new level. It was bad enough watching her smile and flirt with him, but now, watching this guy with his hands all over her, he'd had enough. He wished more than anything that he was the one putting his hands on her.

_Kill the lights, shut em down, you're electric _

_Devil eyes tellin' me "Come and get it",_

_I'll have you like ooh baby baby, ooh baby baby_

Trish felt a set of eyes on her while she danced. She looked up and made eye contact with a pair of icy blue eyes staring at her from a distance. She looked away quickly realizing those blue eyes were Randy's, who continued glaring her way with a look of contempt.

_Girl, tonight you're the prey, I'm the hunter_

_Take you here, take you there, take you under_

_Imagine me whisperin' in your ear that I wanna_

_Take off all your clothes and put somethin' on ya_

Randy couldn't pull his eyes off of the two of them. It was only a matter of time before this guy tried to put a move on Trish. He was close…Randy knew that very well considering he had practically written the book on pick-ups. But all he could see was red, and all he could envision was punching this blonde guy in the face to get his hands off of Trish.

_And I've tried to fight it, to fight it_

_But you're so magnetic, magnetic_

_Got one life, just live it, just live it_

_Now relax and get on your back_

_If you wanna scream yeah,_

_Let me know and I'll take you there_

_Get you going like a-ooh baby baby, ooh baby baby_

_If you want it done right_

_Hope you're ready to go all night,_

_Get you going like a-ooh baby baby, ooh baby baby_

She focused her attention back on Scott just as he began to close the distance between them. He was moving in for a kiss. Trish wasn't sure how to react at that moment. Should she let him kiss her? She was having a great time with him, but she wasn't the type for a one night stand…and she barely knew him. Her mind was screaming for her to stop, but her body was telling to go for it.

It had been over five months since she's had any type of sexual attention. The sex with Ron had ended back in September, way before they were even having major issues. A kiss wouldn't kill her. But once he got that kiss, he would definitely be trying for other things.

She didn't have to make that decision however, as a fist met Scott's face before their lips could connect. Things seemed to run in slow motion from that point, at least they did in her mind. The first thing she saw was the fist fly into Scott's nose, which shot blood out instantly. She then looked to her right and saw that it was Randy's fist. Within seconds, John was pushing Randy back while Phil held back Scott. It took John some time to get Randy under control.

"You keep your fucking hands off of her or I'll rip your arms off your body!" Randy screamed as John wrestled him towards the club exit. Amy grabbed Trish's hand and snapped her out of her coma. She pulled Trish behind her as she followed John and Randy out of the club. Trish's blood began to boil as she made her way outside. As soon as she felt the cold air hit her face, Trish let into Randy.

"What the fuck is your problem? You don't talk to me for two weeks, and now all of a sudden you get a say in the men that I choose to talk to?" She pushed him hard in the chest to the point where he stumbled back.

John went to break them up but Amy put her hand up and pulled him back. "Let them go." John gave her a confused look. "Trust me…just let them go."

Trish pushed Randy in the chest again, "Answer me God dammit!"

Trish was two seconds away from punching Randy in the face. He had a lot of nerve to interfere with her life when he made it absolutely clear that he wanted nothing to do with her.

"So what, you become single and now you're all about letting guys put their hands all over you? And why are you hanging out with Barb! Do you NOT know the type of reputation she has with men?"

Trish's cheeks flushed as she became angrier with his statements, her voice getting louder and more intense with each word she spoke. "First of all, you don't get the right to care about my actions anymore! And what about you? You're not even divorced yet and you've already slept with more women than I can count on my fingers! You had a least twenty women at your disposal tonight! You're the last person who should be criticizing me!"

John looked at Amy. "I'm half tempted to go back inside and leave them both out here."

Amy smiled and nodded, "That was my plan too. Come on, let's go." They walked back inside without Trish or Randy even noticing. They were too busy glaring at each other to see John and Amy leave.

"Oh, because you ARE divorced? Last I checked your divorce wasn't final!" Which makes you still married technically!"

Tears threatened to spill from Trish's eyes. "You're such a fucking douche! If you would've been around these past two weeks, instead of fucking anything with a pulse, you would have learned that my divorce was finalized a few days ago! I'm officially single, asshole!" Trish screamed as she pushed him in the chest again.

"Trish, I swear to God, if you push me one more time…"

"You'll what? Hit me? I'd like to see it!" She sneered at him before starting to walk down the street.

"Just where do you think you're going?" He felt a stab of guilt in his heart as he realized he almost made her cry. He had no idea her divorce was finalized this week. His heart ached as he realized just how much of an asshole he was truly being towards her.

She turned and looked behind her as he walked quickly to catch up to her. "I'm walking back to the hotel, what does it look like I'm doing? You've officially ruined my night!"

"You're not walking back alone. Stop and I'll call a cab." Randy said pulling out his cell phone, his voice becoming softer.

Trish ignored him though…there was no way in hell she was going to let him help her. Not after acting like a total ass for the past two weeks as well as tonight. She wasn't going to let him be her knight in shining armor. She sped up her walk, putting a greater distance between them both. She was so mad, she needed to get away from him and fast.

How could she possibly have feelings for him? He was the same old Randy that she had stayed away from in the past for this very reason.

Randy sped up his walk to catch her. "I said fucking stop!" By this point, the club was no longer in view and it was the two of them all alone. Randy grabbed her arm and spun her around.

Trish instantly pushed him back again. "Don't fucking touch me!" Randy grabbed her wrists, in a weak attempt to calm her down, and the two of them began struggling against one another.

But she was relentless and not giving up, which started to irritate him. "Stop being such a bitch!" He screamed as she thrashed her arms, trying to get him to break his hold on her wrists.

"I said let me go!" She yelled and tried to free herself, but he was too strong and easy overpowered her. He backed her up until she was pinned on the wall of a building with no where else to go. Both of their breathing was erratic and fire was burning in their eyes.

Randy stared at her for what felt like forever before finally giving into the urges that he'd been trying to ignore for months. He smashed his lips to hers, engulfing her in a fiery kiss.

As soon as their lips connected, a blazing inferno erupted through Randy's body. He'd never felt this amount of passion before in his life…not even with Sam. He loosened his grip on her wrists once he felt her body submit to his kiss.

Trish's entire body went weak as she returned his kiss. Her body tingled from the sensation and screamed for more. She parted her lips slightly, letting her tongue glide into his mouth on the second kiss.

He sucked on her bottom lip, before letting his lips begin the journey down her neck, back up to her jaw line and up to her ear. He wanted to savor every kiss he gave her. She tasted absolutely amazing and her smell was so captivating, he could have spent all night sucking on her neck.

She pulled his body closer to hers until they were smashed into the wall of the building. His hands were above her head, one on each side, supporting his larger frame. She ran her hands up his arms until she found his hands and entwined their fingers together before pulling his hands down and placing them on her body.

He ran his hands over her ass and pulled her even closer to him. She could feel how hard he was beneath his pants and it took her breathe away. He ran his hand up her stomach until he found her breast. He gently cupped it and massaged it, wanting so desperately to brush aside the material covering it and nibble on her nipple. But he would be damned if he unclothed her in public. He didn't want to give anyone the chance to see her naked; he wanted her all for himself, and for his eyes only.

She lustfully looked into his eyes and passionately kissed him again. He sucked right below her jaw line on her neck and made his way back over to her ear and whispered, "Let's go back to my room."

She nodded, praying that the hotel was close by…otherwise, her body was not going to last. She was ready to take him right there in the street, which was out of character for her. She'd never done anything this risky and erotic before in her life. It truly was a rush, but Trish couldn't deny her body was responding more to the pent up sexual frustration between her and Randy than the fact that they were in a public place.

It took them about 15 minutes before they arrived at the hotel, granted, they couldn't keep their hands or lips off of each other the entire walk back. As the elevator doors opened, Randy backed Trish in against the wall and slammed the button, starting their ascent to his floor. He lowered his head and began kissing above her navel, making his way up to her breasts and began nibbling on her nipples through her top. Trish groaned as the sensation sent tingles up her spine. He lifted her one leg around his waist and teased her by running a finger over her panties before he maneuvered around them. His finger flicked and rubbed her nub before inserting his finger into her hot core. He was driving her crazy and she needed more.

Once they arrived at Randy's room, he started fumbling through his pockets looking for the key. Trish began to slowly unbuckle his belt, giving him a playful look. She unbuttoned his pants and slid her hand down them, rubbing the hard erection between his legs and watched as Randy tried to gain enough composure to slide the key card into the slot. Within seconds, he had the door opened and had her on the bed.

They wasted no time with foreplay, as the walk back from the club provided plenty. Randy lay on top of Trish and slowly slid her skirt off while kissing her neck. She wrestled with buttons on his shirt, before finally reaching the last one, exposing his tanned hard body.

He began kissing her stomach again while finally making his way up to her breasts and slid the material to the sides. He flicked his tongue over her nipple before sucking it into his mouth and flicked his tongue over it. She gasped lightly in approval of the sensation. He nibbled lightly, causing her back to arch in pleasure. He continued kissing her up to her neck while he undid her top and slid it off of her body.

He crushed his lips on hers again, allowing his tongue to dance freely in her mouth, tangling with hers, while she pulled off his pants and slid down his boxer briefs, exposing his manhood to her.

He sat up into a kneeling position and made eye contact with her while he pulled off her thong. He stayed in that position a few more seconds while he took in the illustrious sight in front of him. She was so sexy and perfect, he didn't want to forget this moment and how she looked.

He slowly spread her legs as he inserted his hard manhood into her core, never once breaking eye contact with her. She was so hot and wet it took everything he had not to let it go right there. He set a fast pace from the start, wasting no time. She began moving her hips in time with his. He felt amazing inside of her…everything about him felt amazing.

She had imagined he would be a knockout in the sack and he was definitely proving it to be true. Ron was only ever mediocre in bed. He wasn't terrible, but he didn't know how to please her as Randy did. Randy knew all the right spots to hit and when to hit them.

They switched positions as he let Trish get on top. She took control immediately, riding him and setting an even quicker pace. Randy grabbed onto her ass, in attempt to control her bucking. Within minutes, she was riding a wave of ecstasy, beginning her peak towards her climax.

With two more thrusts, Trish felt her entire body tense up as her eyes rolled back into her head and her body began tingling as she released an orgasm more intense than she's ever had before. Randy pumped a few more times, he was so turned on from watching her get off and feeling her tense up and become even wetter, he let out a moan and exploded inside her. She collapsed on him as he slowed down the pace and eventually stopped moving. Both of their bodies still reeling from the pleasure they just experienced.

He kissed her gently on the lips, nibbling on her bottom lip a few more times before she rested her head on his chest. They stayed in that position a while longer before Trish finally rolled off of him. He pulled her close into his chest, not letting her get away that easily. She was like a drug to him...he needed to feel her body close, smell the subtle scent of her perfume, and feel the rising and falling of her chest.

She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat, slowly letting it lull her to sleep and hoped that come tomorrow morning, she wouldn't regret what just happened between them.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Trish woke up suddenly as she heard a door slam shut. She looked around the room, particularly at the unkempt bed she laid on, and cringed instantly once she realized the steamy sex with Randy, wasn't a dream, but reality. She quickly jumped out of bed and began gathering her things as she realized Randy must be in the bathroom. She heard the toilet flush and she knew she didn't have much time. Things were going to be awkward enough…at least if she were dressed, things wouldn't be quite as uncomfortable.

She wrapped the bed sheet around her as she began searching for her top. It had to be in the room somewhere…it was a hotel room for crying out loud, how many places could it hide? She got down on her hands and knees and began looking under the bed when she heard the bathroom door open. She jumped up instantaneously, tripped on the sheet she had wrapped around her body, spun and fell directly into Randy's arms, losing the sheet in the process.

She swallowed hard, realizing she was naked and looked into his eyes. He steadied her and cleared his throat. He gave a shy smile, "Um…good morning."

She instantly reached down for the sheet, quickly wrapping it around her body. _Like he hasn't already seen your naked body, Trish! _"Good morning." She mumbled, looking down at her feet.

They let the silence stir for what felt like forever before they both spoke at the same time, "Look…" He smiled while Trish chuckled. "You go first…" he said. She shook her head, "No, you first." He smiled and gave her a sincere look. "I'm sorry about how I've treated you these past few weeks. I know you were only trying to help me and I completely pushed you away…I just didn't want to hear the truth or face the facts."

She nodded and looked him in the eyes, "Look, I don't easily trust people and I don't open myself up to just anyone…especially when it comes to my feelings. So when I open up to you and trust you with all that I've got, please don't make me regret it…don't ever treat me like I'm invisible again!"

He nodded seriously and looked down at his feet, similar to that of a scolded boy. Trish cracked a smile at his innocence. "But…you're forgiven…besides, I can't stay mad at you very long."

He looked up and smiled brightly, probably the first genuine smile he's given since learning about Alanna. He reached down and held both of her hands, before looking into her eyes. "I also want you to know that the rumors you heard about me are untrue. I never slept with anyone."

She nodded and felt an overwhelming urge of relief. At least she wasn't just another notch in his post. She tried cracking a joke, "Couldn't pull the trigger huh?"

He laughed, "Truth be told, I didn't really want to…You're turn."

"What?" She asked, slightly confused.

"You had started to say something before I interrupted. What were you going to say?"

She sighed, instantly thinking about their romp in the sheets. She hesitated before speaking again…she wanted to bring up what happened between them, but was having trouble thinking of the right words to say.

Before she could continue, there was a knock at the door. Both of them threw surprised looks before Trish scurried towards the bathroom, neither of them wanting to let their private business turn public.

Randy waited until the bathroom door was closed before he opened the door to his room. He didn't open the door too wide, and made sure his body blocked the view into the room, as anyone who would set foot in the room would know something other than sleeping occurred.

"John, hey man…what's up?"

John looked at Randy's face and chuckled to himself. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. _Busted! _He thought to himself as he looked over Randy's shoulder at the messy hotel room. It looked like a tornado had run though it.

John shook his head, "I was just stopping by to make sure you and Trish made it back ok last night? You never came back to the club, so I was just checking in…I know you're still pissed with me and"

Randy interrupted, "I'm not pissed…I never was. I was mad at myself and pushed you away in the process. But I promise…I'm out of the funk I was in. And I'm going to lay off the alcohol for a while too."

John smiled and nodded, "Good, I'm glad that's over and done with. Um, do you want to maybe grab breakfast in about an hour? I was going to see if Amy wants to join us too. I also want to go find Trish and make sure she's ok."

Randy's eyes grew wide, "Breakfast actually sounds great, but I'll go check on Trish. I owe her an apology too…probably even bigger than the one I just gave you."

John smiled, _Yeah, I'm pretty sure you already apologized…many times from the look of things! _"Yeah, you were being quite the asshole last night, but you already know that. Ok, find her and I'll see you downstairs in the lobby in an hour then?"

Randy nodded, "Yes, I'll be there with Trish…hopefully."

John nodded as he walked away. _I'm sure you will be!_

Randy closed the door and turned around just as Trish exited the bathroom.

"That was close!" Trish mumbled as she walked over to the bed, searching again for her shirt.

"No kidding…I'm not even sure he completely bought my story…but I told him we'd meet him downstairs in an hour for breakfast."

Trish nodded, still searching for her shirt. "I can't find my top anywhere."

Randy shrugged, "It's got to be around here somewhere. You can wear one of my shirts now and I'll find it once I clean up this mess."

Trish nodded, "Ok, I really should get back to my room and get showered before we head down."

Randy handed her one of his t-shirts. "What time do you need to get on the road?"

"Thanks." She said, taking the shirt from him. She looked into his eyes and got lost momentarily. Her heart started pounding in her chest. If he was able to drive her crazy before, the feelings were now amplified after their steamy night together. She knew in her heart that it wasn't just about sex last night…at least not for her it wasn't. But there was no way in hell she was going to tell Randy that…especially not now. He needed to figure things out with Sam and Alanna before she added more complexity to the situation.

"I actually don't leave until tomorrow morning. I have an autograph session this afternoon."

He smiled, "So…how would you feel about coming over to my parent's house for dinner tonight? I can set you up in one of the spare bedrooms…they have plenty of room and I'll obviously be spending the night too."

She nodded, he was there for her when Ron left her and come hell or high water, and she was going to be there for him now. "Sounds perfect. I'll pack my bags and check out before we head to breakfast."

They stood there for the longest time, looking into each others eyes. Randy was holding back every urge he had to pull her close to him and kiss her. Trish licked her lips, wishing more than anything he would make another move on her. She knew herself and knew that she would never ever make the first move on Randy…and if she were completely honest with herself, she was scared to death of getting involved in another relationship…even though her heart was begging her too.

"Well, then…I'm gonna get dressed and head back to my room. I'm up one floor in room 702. Come up when you're ready to go?"

He nodded, "Absolutely."

* * *

><p>Trish tiptoed down the hall on the 7th floor. She didn't want to run into anyone she knew…if only for the reason someone would question her crazy outfit. Let's face it, a worn out Pantera t-shirt and sequined skirt isn't really a common wardrobe. She was only a few doors away from her room when Amy came sneaking out of room 708.<p>

"And where are you sneaking off to?" Trish said loud enough to grab Amy's attention.

Amy turned around wide eyed, still in her dress from the club. Amy looked at Trish's get-up and crinkled her eyes.

"Come on Ames, you're still in your dress from last night and we're in room 702…not 708!"

Amy smiled coyly at her. "That's Phil's room…"

Trish smiled, she knew something was up with the two of them. And talk about the makings of a perfect couple! "I knew it! I knew something was up with the two of you! When did it start?"

Amy chuckled as they walked down the hall. "Honestly, we were going back and forth on Twitter once he found out you were trying to recruit me for the TLC match. We really hit it off and we've been talking ever since."

Trish smiled and put her arm around Amy, "That's really great! I'm glad that you've started dating again…I swear it's been forever since you've been with anyone!"

Amy laughed, finally noticing Trish's get up. "Ok, what's with the shirt? I'm guessing its Randy's…what happened between the two of you last night? Though from the looks of things, I already know!"

Trish sighed, "I guess you can say we made up."

Amy smiled, "Just answer me one question, cause I'm dying to know…just how good is he?"

Trish punched Amy in the arm, "I just made a huge mistake and all you can ask me is how was it?"

"Ouch bitch! Why was it a mistake?" Amy asked, rubbing the spot where Trish had punched her.

Trish shook her head as she opened the door to their room. "I don't know…I know I don't regret it, but I feel like this adds yet another level of complexity to our already confusing relationship."

Amy sat down on the bed, "Why does it have to be?"

Trish looked at Amy confused, "Have to be what?"

Amy threw her hands up, "Confusing! Why does it have to be confusing? Yeah, you've both been through fucked up relationships, him more so than you, but regardless, why do you have to make it so confusing? How do you feel about him?"

Trish shook her head and looked out the window. "I don't know how I feel!"

Amy smirked, "That's bullshit. You know exactly how you feel!"

Trish turned around and glared at her, "Oh really? Well, since you seem to know me so well, why don't you tell me how I feel?"

Amy put her hands up as if surrendering, "Look I'm not trying to fight with you…I'm just saying, I know you Trish. You've never had a one night stand in your life! And trust me; you've had your chances! And even after what your sister's have told me about your past, you were never the type to take intimacy lightly. So if you didn't have any type of feelings for Randy, you wouldn't have slept with him last night."

Trish sat down on the bed and looked up at Amy helpless. "You're right…I wouldn't have slept with him if I didn't have feelings for him. But now's not the time to talk about this with him. He needs to figure out what he's going to do with Sam and Alanna."

Amy nodded, "Maybe so, but you need to have the talk with him sooner than later. Promise me you will."

Trish smiled, "I will, I promise you...now we really need to get going. We're meeting John and Randy for breakfast in an hour."

"We are? How do you know that?"

"It's a long story…I'll tell you all about it as we get ready!"

"Ok…but you never answered my question…how is he?

Trish smiled, "I'm not one to kiss and tell, but…amazing. Everything about him is amazing." She smiled, thinking back to last night as she walked into the bathroom. She admired herself in the mirror…was it bad that she loved the way his Pantera t-shirt looked on her? She pulled the shirt over her head and instantly smelled Randy. She buried her nose into the shirt and inhaled deeply, as if the shirt held the last breath of air she would ever draw in. She closed her eyes and relived a montage of their night in her head. She opened her eyes and stared at her reflection in the mirror…"Yup…I've got it bad…this can't be good."

* * *

><p>Trish pulled up to Randy's parents' house around 6 PM that night. She cut the engine and took a long sigh. It had been a whirlwind day since she jumped out of the shower that morning. After she had met Randy, John, and Amy for breakfast, she had driven Amy to the airport, and then headed straight to the mall for the autograph session, which of course ran over schedule. She had to admit, she was more than excited for a good home cooked meal, though things were still somewhat awkward with Randy.<p>

She thought back to the entertainment John and Amy got at breakfast. Both she and Randy had acted like nothing had happened between them except a huge fight. But John was seeing right through the story, and Amy obviously already knew what had happened. It probably would have been better to just put it out there on the table, but Randy kept moving along, lie after lie. She had to admit to herself, his story was rather entertaining, but watching him squirm was even better.

She reluctantly got out of the car and grabbed her bag from the trunk. She already knew Randy's father Bob obviously from the company. But she had never met his mother before and she was nervous to meet her. Partially because she wanted to make a good impression, but mostly because she was afraid she was going to fall in love with his family, which would give her just one more reason to fall harder for Randy.

Randy opened the front door as she walked up the driveway. He smiled as he took her bag from her. "Hey, how was the autograph session?"

She smiled "Good. It ran over…of course." She stepped into the house and immediately smelled dinner. The house smelled of some type of beef, maybe a roast, or a meatloaf. Regardless, it smelled amazing. Within seconds Randy's mother appeared in the entry.

"Randy, don't be rude! Put her bag upstairs! Hi dear I'm Randy's mom Elaine. It's so nice to finally meet you! I've heard so much about you!"

"Mom, come on! She's over exaggerating Trish…she acts like you're the only thing I talk about!" Randy said, with a pink hue in his cheeks, making his way upstairs with her bag.

Trish blushed and smiled. "It's really nice to meet you too." She was shocked that he mentioned her to his parents and couldn't help but wonder what was said. He probably told them about the demise of her marriage and what a wreck she's been. They probably feel sorry for her.

"Come on into the kitchen sweetie. Dinner is just about ready. I hope you like beef stew? We're just waiting on Bob's famous mashed potatoes to finish."

Elaine led Trish into the kitchen and sat her down at the table. Seconds later Randy joined them as well as Bob. "Trisha, can I say how great it is to see you back with the company? You've really made an improvement with those girls."

Elaine rolled her eyes, "Bob, their women, not girls."

Trish chuckled lightly, "Thanks…it's funny how you always seem to find your way back. But I am very proud of what the ladies have achieved. I knew they had what it takes…they just need better training."

"So Trisha, Randy tells me you've gone through a divorce recently?"

Randy's eyes grew wide, "Mom!"

"What? I'm just making conversation!"

Trish interrupted, "No, its ok, Randy. It's good to talk about." She flashed him the slightest smile that washed away the concerned look on his face.

"Ron and I began having problems probably some time around August. They weren't big issues…just small arguments here and there, but looking back now, I can see how that was the beginning of our downfall. Slowly we began to grow apart from one another and started to want different things out of life."

Elaine nodded, "Was it a messy divorce?"

Trish nodded, "Actually, it wasn't. It was hard to grasp at first, but when I sat down and thought about things, I finally realized how he felt. I couldn't give him the life he wanted and he wasn't happy anymore. And to be honest, he couldn't give me the life I wanted either. We were so different from each other, and for the longest time, that was what kept our relationship thriving. We were interested to learn about each others passions, but we never got to the point of making them our own. So at this point, everything is finalized except for the start up cash he gave me for Stratusphere. I need to come up with that or find another investor."

Elaine gave Trish a sympathetic look and glanced at Randy. "I wish Randy's divorce would be that easy."

Trish held her breath. She didn't know how Randy was going to respond to her comment. He really hadn't opened up to anyone yet about how he was going handle the situation with Sam and she wasn't sure this was the place. But she was surprised to see how calmly Randy reacted.

"Mom, it honestly isn't going to be messy. I talked to Sam this morning."

All three of them threw Randy surprised looks.

"I'm sticking by my decision to get a divorce. And I realize that by doing this, I'm giving up all my rights to Alanna. Sam finally told David this week that he is Alanna's father. She said he took it hard at first…he was angry just as I was. And he should be…he lost four years of his daughter's life because Sam was a coward."

Elaine got teary eyed and Bob reached across the table to hold her hand. "If you think this is what is best, then we will support you. But we are going to really miss her."

Randy nodded and looked down, with tears threatening to spill down his face. "I'm going to miss her too, but this is the right thing to do. I'm certain of that." He looked at Trish, his eyes pleading with her. "I have to go over tonight to pack some stuff up. Will you come with me?"

Trish nodded, "Of course I will…you don't even have to ask."

He smiled and looked down, "Sam and Alanna won't be home. She took Al on a mini vacation. We also thought it best to not explain this to her right now. She's too young to understand. Sam told her that I went away and wasn't coming back. And David will slowly start to come around more and more. Hopefully she's still at a young enough age that she'll forget me completely and as she get's older, she'll only know David as her father. And if not, then when she's older, Sam can explain things to her."

All four of them sat in an uncomfortable silence before Bob spoke up. "What about the financial end of things?"

Randy sighed, "Since I had her sign a prenup at the beginning of the marriage, she won't get anything…except the house. I'm giving her the house. I obviously don't want it and Alanna needs some sort of stability in her life. And David has already accepted responsibility for Alanna so I won't have to pay child support either. So there's really nothing to fight about. We just need the lawyers to draw up all the papers."

Elaine nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. "Well, I'm glad that this is over with for the most part. And I'm glad Sam isn't making this any harder than it already is. Trisha, I really want to thank you for being there for my baby through all this. It's so nice that the two of you have been there for each other through these ugly divorces. Randy is extremely lucky to have you!"

She got up from the table and gave Trish a hug before going to check on the potatoes. Trish nodded, choking back any tears and emotions she was currently feeling. "You don't have to thank me Elaine. I would do anything for your son." She looked across the table at Randy and gave a sincere smile, getting lost in his eyes momentarily.

The dinner conversation took on a much lighter tone than the divorce talk. Trish laughed so much listening to stories about Randy growing up. She was so happy, her face actually hurt from smiling and laughing so much. His parents really were wonderful. And she found it so endearing that they called her 'Trisha'. Other than her parents, no one ever really called her by that name. She realized that her worst fear was coming true. She was starting to fall in love with his family.

* * *

><p>They sat in silence on the way over to Randy's place. Both of them letting the music take care of the slightest bit of awkwardness that remained between them. If there was a moment to talk to Randy, it was right now. But Trish couldn't force the words out of her mouth. She ran through twenty different ways to start the conversation. But she was too afraid of what his response would be. She was afraid that he would tell her last night was a mistake…or that it meant nothing to him. She wasn't sure which response would be worse. So instead, she bit her tongue and looked out the window.<p>

"Are you surprised by my decision?"

She looked over at him, and thought carefully before she responded. "No…I'm not. I mean, you told me how you felt before and you seemed so passionate about it…I knew you wouldn't change your mind. I'm not sure I'd have the strength to walk away from them though."

Randy nodded, not taking his eyes off the road. "It's hard to explain, to be honest with you, but as badly as Sam betrayed me, I can't find any love in my heart that I used to have for her. I look at her and I see an ugly selfish individual. It's like it all just disappeared…or maybe it was just all a façade to begin with. I thought I loved her…but maybe I just loved the thought of her…loved the thought of the life I could have with her."

"No Randy, I'm sure you loved her. Things get confusing when you're going through a divorce. You start questioning every little thing from the past. You start ripping a part every little fight you've ever had, trying to determine why you didn't figure things out sooner. Trust me…it's not easy. But you're strong. You'll find your way and make peace with it all."

He looked her in the eyes and gave a small smile before grabbing her hand a squeezing it. He didn't have to say a word for her to understand exactly what he was feeling.

Once they arrived at Randy's house, they got to work immediately. They packed up all of his clothes and quickly packed up his other prized possessions. They spent a lot of time in the garage, packing up tools and equipment that he wanted to take with him. She glanced around at the quick pack job and looked at the Bentley parked in the garage.

"I assume you're taking this?"

He looked at her and smiled. "Yup! And you're driving it!"

She looked at him wide eyed. "What? I'm not sure I trust myself driving this thing!"

"Thing? I don't think you're giving my car enough credit! It's not a thing! Monica is the only woman in my life that hasn't let me down!"

She threw him attitude, placing both her hands on her hips, "Excuse me? I've never let you down before! So I better be ranked higher than Monica here! Your mom should be too! And who names a Bentley, Monica?"

He chuckled, "Oh wow! I think you're actually offended! And Monica is a great name! But I stand corrected and take back my previous statement…you have never let me down before…"

He grew serious as he closed the distance between them. "You actually are the only person that I truly opened up to through this whole thing. I don't know what I would do or where I would be if I didn't have you in my life."

He held both of her hands and looked into her eyes. "I'm so thankful that we've become as close as we are. You make me want to be a better man."

She looked into his eyes, emotion filling her, and whispered, "You already are a better man."

He shook his head slightly, "No, you make me feel like I can get through anything…you make me stronger…and I want to be strong for you."

Trish hesitated, she didn't know what he was trying to say, but it sounded like he was saying that he wanted to be with her, in his own odd way. Was that what he was trying to say? She inhaled deeply, trying to force out the words…any words. She swallowed hard.

"I don't think I'm as strong as you're giving me credit for. You saved me when I was in an extremely dark place. If you wouldn't have showed up at my doorstep in Toronto, I'm not sure I would have rebounded from the divorce that quickly. You made me strong and made me fight through the pain."

They weren't exactly the words that sat on the tip of her tongue, but her brain was not allowing her to spit them out. So this would just have to suffice. Until she worked up courage to tell him how she feels…and until she decided to follow her heart rather than her head.

Randy let go of her hands and sighed. He tried to put his feeling out there for her, but they came across misconstrued. He also felt slightly dejected thinking that maybe she didn't share the same feelings as he did. He didn't assume her to be the type of girl interested in a one night stand, but maybe he read the signs wrong. Was it merely a one night stand to her? Should he even ask her? What if her response was yes?

"We should probably get going. It's getting late and I know you have to get on the road early tomorrow morning. I'm going to have a few busy days ahead of me as well. I got to get a lot of this stuff moved out and find a new place to live in about a month."

Trish nodded, "Yeah, it is getting late. Do you know when you'll be cleared to return?"

"I have a check up in about a month. If things look good, he'll let me come back. I just need to get on the rehab track and quickly. So…you don't happen to have an extra yoga DVD of yours hanging around by chance, do you?"

She smiled, "Actually, I do! It's back at the house in my suitcase. Ah! Another Stratusphied customer!"

They both laughed hysterically. "I can't believe you just threw that out there. C'mon…let's get out of here."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Trish examined her reflection in the mirror before sauntering over to the couch in the women's locker room. She picked up her cell and checked for any new text messages. Though she had messages in her inbox, none of them interested her…none of them were from Randy.

It had been almost 3 weeks since Trish had seen Randy. To say she missed him was probably the biggest understatement she's ever made. Granted, they'd kept in touch, but talking to him on the phone was so different from seeing him in person. She missed seeing his smile and the twinkle in his eyes…she missed his smell, his laugh…everything about him.

They actually had only spoken to each other a few times, as Randy was super busy with rehab, as well as wrapping up his messy divorce. It really is amazing how quickly divorces can be settled when the parties involved sign prenups and have large amounts of money at their disposal.

Trish had started traveling with Phil and Amy about a week after the Rumble, as Phil worked his magic and convinced Amy to continue training with the girls. That arrangement worked out well for Trish as with Randy out the picture, she had no one else to travel with. Obviously Phil benefitted most from the arrangement, as he and Amy were full swing into a blossoming relationship. If one thing was to be said about travelling with the two love birds, it was that Trish was finally realizing she wanted to take her quasi-relationship with Randy to the next level.

Tonight was the last house show leading into the Elimination Chamber and word backstage was that Randy would make his return for the main event at the pay-per-view. There currently was one open slot left in the Elimination Chamber match and they were leaving it a mystery opponent. Though, if you were an avid wrestling fan, it wasn't hard to figure out the spot was going to Randy.

This meant that in exactly two days, Trish was hopefully going to get to see Randy again. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and Trish could definitely identify and agree with that statement 100%.

A knock at the door pulled Trish from her day dreaming. She rolled her eyes and sat quietly on the couch, hoping whoever it was would go away. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. She'd rather sit there and sulk about how much she missed Randy. The stranger on the other side of the door knocked again. _Persistent, aren't they? _She sighed as she stood up and slowly meandered over to the door. As she opened the door and glanced up, she was met with a pair of sexy blue eyes.

She lit up immediately once she realized those eyes belonged to no one other than Randy. He stood there, with a huge smile running from ear to ear. She jumped into his open arms instantaneously and melted from the feelings that overwhelmed her body.

"Randy! Oh my God! It's really you!"

He chuckled, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her intoxicating scent. "You didn't know I was coming back?"

"No, I did…I just didn't think I'd see you for at least two more days! Why didn't you tell me?"

He looked her in the eyes and brushed a strand of hair from her face. Instantly, Trish felt a wave of energy run through her. The slightest touch from him was enough to make her weak in the knees. "I wanted it to be a surprise. I guess it worked?" He smiled, beaming at her.

Her smile filled her entire face. "Yes, absolutely!" She threw herself in his arms again, "I missed you so much!" She buried her head in his chest, breathing him in. He smelled amazing…a mix of cologne, soap, and laundry detergent…just as she remembered him.

He ran his hand through her hair, caressing it lightly before reaching down under her chin and pulling it up gently until her eyes met his. He had trouble expressing his feelings to her the last time he saw her, but this time, things were going to be different. He slowly leaned down until his lips found hers and pulled her into a kiss.

Trish's breath caught in her throat when his lips connected with hers. Her body became charged and tingled with anticipation. She was not expecting this whatsoever, but she also wasn't going to complain. He could have done whatever he wanted to with her right there and she'd do it, her body was putty in his hands.

After the kiss he pulled away slightly, trying to gauge her reaction. When he looked into her dark eyes, he found them filled with lust and desire. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into another kiss. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue entrance into her mouth. He backed her up until he had her pinned against the wall. She could feel his erection at her stomach, her body throbbing with pleasure, begging for more.

He reached his hand down and slid it up her thigh, lifting her leg around his waste and pushing his erection into her harder. His other hand reached up and massaged her breasts as his lips trailed down her neck. Trish twisted her hands in Randy's hair and pulled so that her lips smashed against his even harder.

Their session was cut short though as Amy came barreling in the room. "Hey Trish, we're waiting for you in the ri…" She turned around as soon as she realized what she walked in on, instantly embarrassed. "Oh shit, um…hey Randy, didn't know you were back."

Trish and Randy broke away from each other quickly, both out of breathe, their bodies reeling from what had just happened. Randy cleared his throat and scratched the back of head, letting a nervous chuckle escape his puffy, slightly swollen lips.

"Hey Amy…yeah, I got back today."

Amy turned back to face them, after allowing them time to resituate their clothing and smirked at Trish, "Are you coming or do you need some more time?"

Trish glared at Amy, as her lips curled into a slight shitty smile, "No, I'm coming. Lead the way." She glanced at Randy giving him a shy smile, "I'll catch up with you in a little bit."

* * *

><p>Amy and Trish sat in the middle of the ring after practicing the interference for their match tomorrow night. "So…it looks as if Randy is more into you than you thought he was."<p>

Trish looked at Amy and smiled. "Do you really think so? I don't know…I wish he would tell me what is going on in his head. For all I know I'm just friends with benefits to him."

Amy gave Trish an exasperated look. "You really think that's all you are to him? Trish you have to be blind if you don't see the way he looks at you! He's into you! It's obvious!"

"Yeah, but being into to me, as you put it, and wanting a serious relationship are two different things. He's been through so much shit with Sam; I wouldn't be surprised if he never wanted a serious relationship again."

"And what about you?"

Trish looked at Amy bewildered. "What about me?"

Amy gave Trish a knowing look, "Do you think you're ready for a serious relationship…with Randy or anyone else?"

Trish looked down, deep in thought. After watching Amy and Phil together these past weeks, Trish felt as if she was ready for a serious relationship. But she couldn't lie to herself that she was scared to death to open her heart again. Randy scared her in that sense. She knew her feelings for him were strong enough to fall and fall hard for him. But, what if things didn't work out? The pain she felt when Ron walked out was more than she could bear. She didn't ever want to have to relive that experience.

"I don't know Ames. Some days I do, and other days I don't. Right now, I do…tomorrow, may be a different story."

Amy nodded. "You're scared…"

Trish nodded, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Terrified is probably a better word."

"Trish, you have to trust that Randy won't hurt you."

Trish sighed exasperatedly, "I put the same trust and faith in Ron and look where that got me. I was completely wrong about him."

"You can't compare Randy to Ron…it's not fair to Randy. Besides, he may be completely different from Ron."

"That's what I'm afraid to find out."

"Look Trish, many people have a hard time finding each other, and when they finally do, they're scared to take the risk. You can't be afraid to let go and open your heart to someone else. It's not easy to do, but sometimes you just have to. Otherwise, you'll be alone forever, and in the long run, that's going to hurt worse."

Trish looked at the ground, slowly nodding. "I know Ames…I'm just so scared to get hurt again."

Amy slid closer to Trish and pulled her into a hug. "Look sweetie, you can always take things slow with Randy. No one is telling you to jump into a serious relationship with him. Date him. Get to know him better and see if it helps you feel better about the whole thing. But the two of you really need to talk about what this is between you….so…"

Trish looked at Amy. "So…what?"

"So….you'll talk to him? Tonight?"

She sighed, "Yes…I'll talk to him tonight."

* * *

><p>Randy threw his bag on the floor and collapsed onto the bed, letting out a large sigh. "What a day! I think I'm more tired from meeting with management all day than I ever was after working a match."<p>

Trish chuckled as she sat down on the opposite bed. "I know the feeling. Hey, at least you didn't have to work a match on top of all the meetings…unlike me!"

He laughed, "Are you having a pity party for yourself?"

She busted out laughing, "Maybe I was!" She launched a pillow across the room at him. "I can't believe you just called me out on that!"

As their laughter died down, an awkward silence filled the room. Both of them trying to figure out how to begin 'the talk' they both know they needed to have. Trish decided to take a stab and begin the conversation. She swallowed hard, rubbing her sweaty palms on the tops of her thighs.

"So…this afternoon…was…um…"

"Hot" he breathed out, completing her sentence, laying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling.

"Hot, yes…er, um…and the night in the club was…"

"Amazing" he said, as he turned on his side, allowing his hand to support his head, his eyes smoldering, staring into her soul from across the bed.

Her breath hitched in her throat as her pulse began to pound. Her body became all tingly and she swallowed hard again, their eyes still locked on each others. It was remarkable how he could make her body react sitting ten feet away from her on opposite beds. He appeared calm and collected and she felt hot and heavy and fidgety with yearning for his touch.

He waited for her to speak again. He could tell she was nervous, but he wasn't sure why. What if she was trying to find a gentle way to let him down? To tell him it was just meaningless sex. Or was she nervous because she was afraid to admit her feelings for him?

"This is awkward." She mumbled out, somewhat whispered.

He crawled off his bed, closing the distance between the two of them. He sat on his knees, facing her in the middle of her bed.

"It doesn't have to be…" he said tenderly, his eyes softening, trying to hide the longing intensity radiating from them. He licked his lips, hesitating slightly on whether or not he should lean in and kiss her.

Her cheeks grew hot, while a pink blush slowly spread across them. She licked her lips, her eyes focusing on his lips. Dirty thoughts crowded her mind, as she imagined those lips on every inch of her body. Her heart was pounding in her chest, it took every restraint she had not to push him down on the bed and have her way with him.

"What are you thinking?" he asked. "Normally I can read you so well…to the point where I know exactly what's going on in that head of yours. But now, I'm not sure…."

She thought a moment before responding. "I think you know…"

He looked into her eyes and hesitated for a second before reaching his hand up, brushing it against her cheek before entangling it into her hair, reaching around to the back of her head and gently pulling her forward until his lips met hers. He sucked gently on her bottom lip, he was careful with the kiss; he didn't want it to erupt into a hot and heavy make-out session. He needed her to tell him what was on her mind.

As their lips released, Trish exhaled the air she had been holding. She could feel his breath on her face. It smelled of peppermint mixed with something sweet, maybe remnants of a drink. She opened her eyes to be met with a sea of blue eyes staring back at her. "What is this?" She breathed out.

Before Randy could answer though, Trish's cell erupted from the dresser, pulling them out of their entranced states. She jumped up immediately and picked up the phone. A concerned look crossed over her face as she read the name on the caller ID.

"Hi Ron" she said into the phone and looked up at Randy, examining his face for a reaction.

Randy remained expressionless. Was this the first time he's reached out to her since their divorce was finalized? Or has she been on speaking terms with him this entire time?

"No, I haven't found an investor yet for Stratusphere. I'm sorry, I know you need the money, but finding someone to invest $200,000 in my company isn't exactly an overnight process."

Randy's eyes lit up as a smirk formed on his lips. He could invest the money in Stratusphere. He had the money and it would be a good business investment. It seemed like a great idea. He exhaled a sigh of relief as he realized that was the reason Ron called.

"I promise I'll let you know as soon as I find someone. Otherwise, I'll start making you payments until I fully pay you back." She looked over at Randy who appeared to be relaxed as he lay back on the bed, his hands behind his head. "Any thing else you need?"

Randy watched as the color slowly drained from Trish's face. He saw the hurt in her eyes forming. _Damn I wish he was on speaker phone! What the hell is he saying to her now?!_

Trish glanced at Randy before speaking, "Hold on a minute." She looked at Randy apologetically before opening the door to the room and scooting out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

Randy jumped off of the bed immediately. He walked over to the door and tried to listen in on their conversation. He knew it was wrong, but he was seconds away from confessing his feelings to Trish, if he had read her signs wrong, there was no way he was going to tell her how he felt.

He could hear her clearly for being in a completely different room. She must be sitting with her back against the hotel door.

"You're bringing this up now, Ron? Don't you think it's a little late for that?"

She sounded angry and hurt.

"I'm sorry…I'm trying to be understanding, but why did you wait so long? We've been divorced for almost two months now."

Randy's heart was in his throat. He had no idea what Ron had said to her, but he imagined it was something along the lines of 'I want you back'.

"I think about you too…"

Randy's heart fell in his chest as he struggled to find a breath. He walked away from the door immediately, he'd heard enough. So everything between them was just meaningless sex. She had no feelings for him whatsoever. She was still in love with Ron.

Trish continued, "…sometimes…I think about you and realize that this is for the best. We are too different of people. I'm actually surprised it worked for as long as it did! I wouldn't have admitted that to myself back when we were together, but now that I've taken a step back, I realize that we were never right for each other."

Randy pulled back the covers from his bed. There was no way he'd be able to face her once she came back in the room. He turned off all the lights except her bedside light and jumped in bed.

"A part of me will always love you Ron, but I've moved on…you should too. I'll email you when I find an investor. Bye."

Trish exhaled deeply and rested her head on the back of the door. She sat there for a moment, relishing in the last bit of closure. She smiled lightly as she stood; ready to finish her conversation with Randy. As nervous as she was to admit her feelings for him, she had to…he needed to know how she felt.

Her face fell when she walked into the room and realized he had gone to sleep. She stood confused momentarily. Did her call with Ron upset him? She wasn't on the phone longer than 30 minutes, though he did seem to be exhausted. It seemed understandable that he would fall asleep. But he turned out all the lights, as if he planned to go to sleep. Why would he do that in the midst of their conversation?

Her shoulders fell and she crawled into bed. This wasn't how she had pictured the night ending.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Trish waited in the gorilla position before her match. Her music would be hitting any minute. This was it, the match that started her destiny to Wrestlemania. She tried to focus on the match, but Randy had been invading her thoughts all day. When she woke up this morning, he had already left for the arena. He left a note saying he'd catch up with her, but she hasn't seen him all day. She sensed he was ignoring her purposely, but she could be wrong. The Elimination Chamber was a grueling match…he would need to be in top shape for it. A lot of the guys chose to be alone while they prepared for this match…maybe Randy was the same.

"Hey, are you all set?"

She turned to find Amy next to her. She nodded gently, "Yes, are you?"

Amy jumped up and down a few times, "A little nervous…afraid of the fans' response to me."

Trish gave her a quick hug, "You'll be fine…they are going to go crazy for you!"

"Your mind seems to be elsewhere right now…penny for your thoughts?"

She sighed, "Randy…I think he's avoiding me…"

Amy tilted her head to the side, "Why would he be avoiding you? Did your talk not go well last night?"

Trish shrugged, "I thought it was, until Ron called and interrupted. I haven't spoken to or even seen Randy since then for the most part."

"What did he want?"

"His money for Stratusphere…and to tell me that he missed me and thought he made a mistake." She looked up at Amy, afraid of her reaction.

Amy threw an irritated look, "Of course he would. He's such an ass! Drudging up these feelings after your divorce was finalized."

"Oh it doesn't matter…I told him I was really done. Said that I realized we weren't right for each other."

"Did Randy know you were talking to Ron?"

"Yes, I answered the phone in front of him before stepping out into the hallway to take the call."

"Do you think that freaked him out?"

Trish shrugged, "I don't know…I didn't think it would, but I'm starting to wonder."

Amy smiled, "I'm on it."

Suddenly, Trish's music hit. It was showtime.

"Huh? On what?" Trish looked at Amy confused.

"Don't you worry about it…I'll figure out what Randy's problem is. Now get your ass out there!" She gave Trish a nudge forward and motioned for her to get out there.

* * *

><p>The match was going according to plan. Beth and Trish had worked out some great moves and Nattie was throwing interference left and right. The fans were completely behind them, booing Nattie's every move and cheering for Trish's every comeback attempt. Everything was set up perfectly. Nattie had the referee busy on the apron, giving Beth the go ahead to nail Trish in the head with the belt. The fans reaction echoed through the arena as Trish ducked Beth's attempt, as the belt connected with the head of the referee, who fell to the mat, pretending to be knocked out cold.<p>

That was Nattie's cue. She entered the ring and played up the fans a little bit who booed even louder than before. Trish tried to take her out but the double team was too much for her. Nattie had her up in the Nattie By Nature before she could blink. Trish played up the bump big time, barely moving on the mat. She couldn't see what Nattie and Beth were doing, but whatever it was, it got a huge pop from the crowd.

Within seconds, she felt Beth grab her hair. This was it. Trish was going in the air for the Glam Slam. Instantly the crowd went nuts and Trish knew exactly why. She saw as Lita slid into the ring and clotheslined Natalya, once, twice, three times. Beth instantly dropped Trish before the Glam Slam was completed and focused on Lita. They scrapped in the ring for a few seconds before Lita hit Beth with the Twist of Fate. Lita then pulled Beth into position for the Moonsault. She climbed the turnbuckle and the crowd was deafening. She connected instantly, stood and taunted the crowd before pulling Trish's body on top of Beth. She shook the ref until he came to and the extremely slow count came 1…..2….3! Lita helped Trish to her feet and gave her a huge hug. The two of them continued to celebrate as Nattie helped Beth up the ramp, both of them yelling at Lita and Trish.

* * *

><p>"Oh what a rush! That was amazing!" Amy gushed as they popped through the gorilla.<p>

Beth agreed, "That was the biggest crowd pop we've ever gotten! Talk about an adrenaline rush!"

Trish smiled, "I don't know what you ladies did out there, but man was the crowd booing you!"

Nattie chuckled lightly, "I may have made fun of one of your moves. I apologize now, but it really worked."

Trish shook her head, "Hey, whatever it takes!" She looked to her right and saw the guys getting together for the Elimination Chamber match. Phil and John were starting to stretch and loosen up for the match, while Bryan and Nick were talking over the plans. "Hey ladies, great match out there tonight!" Phil yelled as the four women made their way over.

"Thanks Phil! Think you'll be able to follow up such an awesome match?" Beth joked. Phil and John laughed a hardy laugh. "We can only try, Beth"

"Only try for what?" Randy asked as he walked up behind everyone. Trish immediately tried to make eye contact with him but he avoided her like the plague.

Amy took this opportunity to pounce. "Oh you know, to try and show up our awesome match!" She joked as she put her arm around Trish, focusing his attention on the two of them. Randy should naturally look at Trish, even if he didn't have anything to say to her.

Randy looked at Amy and flashed his signature smirk, acting as if Trish was invisible. "It shouldn't be too hard to do."

Amy shot him a semi dirty look, "Well good luck out there guys. Bryan, you get to keep the title?"

He smiled, "Yup…we're planning for another dirty win! Ref isn't going to see my foot on the ropes. Its gonna come down to me and my boy here!" Bryan said, giving Randy a light punch in the arm. Just then CM Punk's music hit. "Shit! That's my cue! See you out there my bitches!" Phil turned and jogged through the curtains.

Amy turned to Trish as the guys all walked over to the gorilla. "Oh yeah, he's definitely avoiding you. Now we just have to figure out why."

"Hey boys, I'm thinking a celebration is in order after the match…you all in?" Amy yelled after them. The four of them turned around and instantly John and Nick responded, "Absolutely!" Randy nodded in agreement, shooting a quick look at Trish who was staring at her feet.

Amy smiled triumphantly and turned to face Trish. "Perfect! Now the stage is set!"

Trish rolled her eyes, "For what?"

Amy shot her a dirty look and responded matter-of-factly. "To figure out what freaked Randy and to play matchmaker for you two since you can't seem to do it yourself!"

* * *

><p>The club was packed when Trish and Amy arrived. They noticed Phil and a few others in the VIP section immediately. They immediately walked over and started to mingle with everyone. Amy ran up and gave Phil a kiss before scurrying off and grabbing John. Trish continued to chat with Beth and Nattie, watching Amy pull John off to the side. <em>What is she up to?<em>

About twenty minutes later, Randy entered the club. Trish noticed every single woman's head in the club turn and drool at Randy instantly. It really was annoying to watch all these women throw themselves at him. She smiled as she watched him ignore every single one of them. John approached him a few seconds later and started talking to him about something. Trish made her way to the bar, trying to get a better angle to watch the two of them without looking suspicious. They looked to be deep in conversation. Randy glanced up for a moment, looking through the crowd. The second he spotted Trish he looked away quickly and focused back on John. John turned and glanced at Trish a moment later and flashed her a little smile. _He's up to something too obviously._

A few minutes later, Trish saw Amy pull Randy to the side. They disappeared around the corner and Trish couldn't see where they went. "Are you going to stalk him all night, or just for half the night?" She noticed an accent immediately and assumed it was Stephen. She was surprised when she realized it wasn't Stephen. "Hi, I'm Barri…you may recognize me as Mason Ryan?" he chuckled.

Trish smiled, "Yes, I do recognize you. It's nice to meet you Barri, I'm Trish."

He gave a heartwarming smile that reached his eyes. "I know who you are Trish."

She blushed, "I wasn't stalking him."

"No? If you say so…though your eyes haven't left him since he walked into the bar."

Trish smirked, "Hmm…then that must mean you're eyes haven't left me since I walked into the bar."

He chuckled and scratched his temple slightly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "OK…you caught me…you're a beautiful woman, standing at a bar all by your lonesome, of course I'm going to notice you. So can I buy you a drink?"

She nodded, "Sure."

An hour and three drinks later, Trish had stopped looking for Randy, Amy, or John. Barri was keeping her company, telling her endless stories about his brief career with the UK Gladiators. She found his company interesting. He was over six foot tall, but had an English accent that didn't fit his body. He reminded her of Batista in so many ways and he kept her preoccupied enough to stop worrying about the drama filling her life.

"Come on…let's go dance."

Trish looked alarmed, she enjoyed Barri's company, but she wasn't interested in him and definitely didn't want to lead him on. "I don't know…I don't think I'm really in the mood to."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her on the dance floor. They started dancing together and at first it seemed harmless. But by the second song, Barri started to put the advances on Trish. She slowly became uncomfortable and needed an escape. His hand slowly ran up her thigh and around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. She pushed back slightly, "Look Barri, I think you're getting the wrong idea."

"What, do you have a boyfriend or something? I heard you were single. Am I not attractive enough for you?" He seemed to be angry that she resisted him.

She shook her head, growing more uncomfortable by the minute. "No, you're very attractive, but I'm just not interested."

"So you're taken, is what you're saying?" His eyes were dark and menacing.

"Well, no, not really, but…"

"But what? I thought you were into me!" He yelled.

She became panicked, this guy was way larger than she was and she didn't notice anyone nearby to bail her out. "Look, I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression, but I'm into someone else."

"Someone else? Who? Wait, let me guess! Randy Orton? You were staring at him all night practically!"

She looked him in the eyes, raising her voice to try to hide how intimidated and scared she truly was. "Yes! Randy Orton! I'm interested in Randy Orton! So please, leave me alone! I'm sorry you got the wrong idea!"

A smile crossed his broad face. He looked past her, "Did you get all that?"

Trish turned around wide eyed to find John, Amy, and Randy standing behind her. Her mouth dropped open as she realized this was the scam that Amy and John were up to. Randy stood looking at Trish with a goofy grin on his face that eventually made her chuckle.

John smiled sweetly at Trish and then looked at Barri. "Thanks man, now we're even." He handed Barri a beer and they toasted before Barri started to walk away. "Oh and Trish, it was very nice to meet you, even under the circumstances. I just want you to know I would never force myself on any woman."

Trish smiled and nodded, "I believe you…it was very nice meeting you too Barri. I hope to see you around."

She turned back to Amy and John. "Well, aren't we quite the con men?"

Amy laughed, "Well, I knew Randy wouldn't believe that there was nothing going on with you and Ron. And John came up with the idea to make you admit to someone other than Randy, since the two of you seem to have a problem expressing your feelings to one another."

Trish looked at John expectantly.

"Barri owed me a favor. Last year he was essentially a rookie with the company. Some of the guys got him wasted and took some pretty embarrassing pictures of him. I helped get a hold of the pics for him. But he is very charming isn't he?"

Trish narrowed her eyes at him, "No comment."

Randy smirked, "How about I escort you back to the hotel and we finish our conversation from the other night?" He held his hand out for her.

She looked him in the eyes, all the nervousness finally gone. "I thought you'd never ask!" She slid her hand into his as he led her toward the exit.

* * *

><p>Trish sat down on the bed next to Randy. "Just to clear the air between us, the phone call the other night with Ron…he told me he missed me and that he thought he made a mistake. But I told him that things were over between us. I realized that we weren't right for each other. I never even thought about taking him back."<p>

Randy nodded, "I eavesdropped…I thought you were going to get back together with him."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Which is why you were suddenly asleep when I came back in…"

Randy gave her a shy smile. "So, what is this…between us?"

Trish looked down at her hands. "Well, I think you already know how I feel. And I'm hoping you feel the same?"

Randy smiled warmly, pulling her chin up with his hand, staring deep into her eyes. "You didn't have that figured out already?"

She melted instantly. It was so easy for him to affect her. Her breathing shortened, "I'm scared" she whispered.

He nodded, seeing the fear radiating in her eyes. He licked his lips before swallowing hard. "I am too…so where do we go from here?"

She thought a moment before responding. "Slow. Let's take things slow."

"What does that mean exactly?"

She giggled, "Well we've already slid through home once."

He chucked, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah, I guess we did. So what are you suggesting? We back it up to first base?"

She smiled as she sat up and straddled him on the bed, "That's a little extreme in my opinion…I was thinking more along the lines of second base." She kissed him, suck in his bottom lip. He moaned into her mouth before inserting his tongue and gently massaging hers.

"Taking things slow with you is definitely going to test every ounce of will that I have."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Trish woke up the next morning wrapped in Randy's arms. It was honestly the best night of sleep she's had in some time. She always been big on cuddling, but Ron and her would always seem to wake up on opposite sides of the bed. It was refreshing to wake up wrapped in the warmth of Randy.

She moved slowly, trying to adjust herself without waking him. He looked so peaceful sleeping, like an innocent little boy almost. She watched him sleep, admiring his chiseled face, full lips. He really was beautiful. And he was interested in her. It made her heart skip a beat thinking about it. She'd never met anyone as strong as he was. He went through a horrible divorce, learned how deceptive his wife was, and learned a child that he loved with all his heart wasn't his to begin with. And now here he was, wrapped in a bed with her…ready to put his heart on the line once more…and so soon after. Has his heart even had time to heal yet? Or was Trish merely a rebound for Randy?

"Though you look cute as hell when your face is all crinkled up and concerned, I'd much rather prefer to see you smiling and happy. What's on your mind?"

Trish looked up to find Randy lazily smiling at her. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear him stir or wake. "Mmm…nothing important" she yawned stretching slightly, reaching her lips toward his until they met in a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her flat against his body before turning her so that he was positioned on top.

He sucked in her bottom lip, his kisses slow and sensual. Trish could feel his morning wood against her leg and it turned her insides to mush. Her heart rate started to increase and her body responded to his every touch. Taking things slow with him was going to be more difficult than she realized.

He pulled away, running his thumb over her lip, then across her cheek bone. He stared at her long enough to make Trish blush. "Are you sure nothing's bothering you?" He looked for an answer hidden in her eyes.

She smiled and slowly shook the disturbing thoughts from her mind. She needed to try and focus on the good, not dwell on the possibility of the bad. "I'm sure. We should probably get on the road. The drive is about six hours to Minneapolis."

Randy sighed and nodded. "Yeah, we probably should…but I really don't want to get out of this bed…not when I have you all to myself." He smiled, engulfing her lips in another kiss that left her breathless.

"We always have tonight…let's just order in room service." She whispered in his ear, feeling his muscles tighten on top of her.

"God you're such a fucking turn on…you have no idea", he said, wrapping his hands into her hair and sucking on her neck.

She exhaled slowly, her body burning and screaming for more. "So are you", she breathed out heavy, giving him one more kiss before sliding out from underneath him.

* * *

><p>Amy greeted Trish and Randy as soon as they entered the arena.<p>

"It's about freaking time! Jesus Christ, I've been looking for you for at least over two hours now!"

Trish blushed, "Sorry, we got a late start on the road."

Amy rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Come on…Stephanie wants to work on the plot for Wrestlemania. I guess a Diva's Tag Team TLC Match isn't enough."

Trish nodded and looked at Randy. "I'll catch up with you later?"

He smiled. "I'll find you…that's a promise. Go take care of business." He pulled her in for a quick kiss. "Oh, give me your bag. I'll drop it in the locker room for you."

Trish gave a goofy smile before Amy grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in the other direction. "You guys are so stinking cute I may vomit."

Seconds later, Trish and Amy entered an office where Stephanie, Beth and Nattie were already seated. Trish sat down timidly, hoping Steph wouldn't comment about how late she arrived at the arena.

"Alright ladies, I only have a short amount of time before I need to be elsewhere so let's get straight to the point. Your TLC match is official for Wrestlemania as you are all aware. However, as you know, TLC matches normally have some type of item dangling from above the ring that you have to retrieve in order to win. We need to figure out what that item is going to be. As much as I would love to bring back the Women's Tag Team belts that is not going to happen. So I have an idea that I want to throw out."

All the ladies looked at each other and slowly nodded. Steph continued. "We'll do it like a Money in the Bank match. There will be a briefcase hanging above the ring that you must retrieve. The contents of the case will contain four separate contracts…one for each of you. Whoever physically retrieves the case will get the contract."

Trish threw a confused look. "What are the contracts for? Wouldn't that make it more like a four way match as opposed to a tag team?"

Stephanie nodded. "Yes, I thought the same thing at first, but after thinking about it more, I think it will work out to our advantage. So, Trish your contract would be for a no-compete clause against Nattie or Beth. This would bar both of them from shots at your title. Lita's contract would be for a brand new WWE contract."

Amy interrupted immediately, "Whoa, I never said I was coming back full-time. I thought this was just a gig for a month?"

Stephanie put up her hands defensively, calming Amy instantly. "You're return isn't full time…unless you want it to be. If you don't want to come back, then Trish can retrieve the case. We would love to have you back full time, but it's entirely up to you…your call."

Amy nodded and relaxed slightly.

Stephanie continued, "Both Natalya's and Beth's contracts will be the same…a #1 contender spot for Trish's belt. Up until this point, the two of you have been plotting the demise of Trish Stratus unsuccessfully. But both of you are title hungry. This will plot you both against each other immediately and will cause your alliance to fall…which was the original idea if I'm not mistaken?"

All four ladies nodded. "So, if I see Beth going up for the case, I would knock her over or vice versa, putting us against each other."

Stephanie smiled. "Exactly. Now, creative's gone through some discussions and we think that it's time for Natalya to be a face. Which means you'll be seconds away from winning the title and Beth will knock you off, or pull you down, to try to obtain the contract for herself."

Beth and Natalya both looked satisfied. "Hey, all good things must come to an end right Beth?"

Beth shrugged, "Yeah, I'll miss our little faction, but it's time to turn you into a face…and if anyone can help put you over, it's the Glamazon!"

Stephanie smiled, "Perfect! So, we've already decided that Trish and Lita will win the match. It's up to the two of you to decide who climbs that ladder. If Trish is the one to grab the case, obviously you two will not have a run at the title shot for a while, however, we were planning on changing directions anyway and giving some of the other divas a chance. Amy, I can't say enough how wonderful it would be to have you back, but this is a decision you have to make without any biased opinions."

All five ladies stood, signaling the end of the conversation. "Next Monday, Beth and Nattie will challenge Trish to the tag team TLC match for Wrestlemania. Trish, you will accept and say the hunt is on for a partner. Lita will be revealed as your partner on Raw exactly one week before Wrestlemania and a contract signing will be held where the contracts and match will be explained by Mr. Laurinitis. After the signing, of course you will break out into a full on brawl and by all means…utilize those tables, ladders, and chairs for a little teaser of the action that is yet to come!"

The girls started to walk out of the room, all very excited to start working on some mic skills. "Oh Trish, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Trish stopped and turned quickly. "Sure Steph." She closed the door behind her quietly before sitting down again.

"Do you recall the conversation I had with you a few months back? About the storyline with you and Randy?"

Trish nodded, already knowing where this was going.

"Well, creative has decided to move forward with the storyline after Wrestlemania. Randy will be winning the belt back that night. And your storyline with him will start the following Monday…but slowly. You and him will remain faces. AJ will be turning heel. She's going to turn her back on you and since she's already dating Daniel Bryan, well that will lead to a few inter-gender tag matches with you and Randy…which will spark your relationship."

"Ok, sounds good." Trish said, standing ready to leave the room.

Stephanie threw her a confusing look. "Wait a minute, you were dead set against this last time I talked to you…what changed? Other than the fact that Randy is now divorced…which by the way has made its way to the rumor mill."

Trish shrugged, "I don't know…I guess you can say that wouldn't be far from the truth?"

Stephanie smiled, "So the rumors are true!"

Trish shook her head vehemently. "No, the rumors are not true! I am not to blame for Randy's divorce nor was anything ever going on between the two of us while he was still married! But, we are somewhat dating right now…slowly…but…" She paused for a minute. _Why do I feel like I should be talking to Randy about this before I blab to Steph? And why am I all about this storyline all of a sudden? Every relationship that the WWE messes with always turns out bad…think about the Amy/Matt/Adam triangle! _"Casually…we are casually dating."

Stephanie chuckled, "Whatever you're calling it, your secret is safe with me. Just have fun falling in love again…I've never seen two people more deserving of it than you two!" She pulled Trish into a hug before excusing herself.

* * *

><p>Randy pushed open the hotel room door with his foot and shuffled inside, greatly favoring his right shoulder. Trish threw her bags on the floor and watched Randy fall onto the bed, rubbing and rotating his right shoulder. "Stephen worked my shoulder a little too much tonight." He saw the concerned look all over Trish's face and tried to say something…anything, to stop her from worrying.<p>

"Do you think you re-injured it?" She asked, her voice small, filled with trepidation. She was scared for him…she could easily admit it. She found out tonight that he was getting a title shot at Wrestlemania. She didn't even have a chance to talk to him about it…she wasn't even sure if he knew he was getting the shot. The night was so hectic; she didn't get to see him until after the main event. If he re-injured his shoulder, they would take the match away from him quicker than they offered it. Shoulders are much different from herniated discs…they take months to heal and usually require surgery. Randy's had too many of those as it is…one more could end his career.

"No…I don't think so. Obviously it's never going to be 100% again. But some nights it aches more than others. Tonight is one of those nights. I'll be fine. Are you hungry?"

She smiled lightly at him. Even though he's writhing in pain, he is more worried about her. "I'm good..." Her eyes flashed instantly, an idea forming in her mind. "I have a better idea actually."

She got up off the bed and made her way to the bathroom. She plugged the drain and started the water in the bathtub before re-emerging. "You are going to take a soothing hot bath and then we are going to ice that shoulder of yours. You can call me Nurse Trish for the rest of the night."

He chuckled, "Hmm…Nurse Trish…I like the sound of that!" He stood from the bed and walked over to her slowly. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him before capturing her lips with his.

It took everything Trish had to not push him down on the bed and ravage him. "Huh uh Mister…no funny business. You are getting in the bath!" She grabbed his left arm and pulled him slowly into the bathroom.

He flashed the ever-so-famous Orton smirk that made her knees weak. "Fine…you win. But nurse, could you help me undress? I don't think I can do it myself, not with the pain my shoulder is in."

She smiled coyly, "What kind of nurse would I be if I rejected you in your time of need?"

He worked his right arm out of his shirt, wincing ever so slightly before Trish worked the shirt over his head, standing on her tippy toes to make up for the height difference between them.

They made eye contact as her hands traveled down his chest to the button on his jeans. She gazed at him the entire time, refusing to break the eye contact…his eyes resembling that of predator, clouded with hunger and desire. She swallowed hard, as she unzipped his jeans, letting them fall to the floor.

He broke his focus on her innocent doe-like eyes as he watched her lick her lips. His attention moved to her full lips and all the different things he could do with them. He felt his manhood growing in his boxer briefs and concentrated hard on not letting it get any larger. Trish noticed his growth immediately. Her lips turned up into a slight grin.

"Hold on…I have some soothing bath salts in my bag. Let me grab them real quick"

She walked out of the room and started rummaging around in her suitcase. She pulled the bath salts out seconds later and strolled back into the bathroom while reading the label to ensure they would help with soreness. "These should wo…" She lost her breath as she looked up and found Randy completely stripped standing there.

"Will you join me?"

He looked her directly in the eyes, silently pleading with her it seemed. She blinked and swallowed hard, trying to calm her body into a more normal state and brush off the effects of seeing him standing there…naked. She casually opened the bottle of salts and sprinkled them into the water.

"I thought we were taking things slow?" She whispered, setting down the salts on the counter as she felt her cheeks flush.

He closed the distance between them, placing his hands on her cheeks before pulling her into a soft kiss. It was a reassuring kiss, not like the normal breathless, hot, yearning kisses he normally gives.

Trish, we've already seen each other naked once. I understand taking things slow, but I think we should be able to take a soothing bath together without getting into too much trouble."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you mocking me?" An amused smile spread across her lips.

He chuckled, "Maybe." He pinched his thumb and pointer finger around the hem of her shirt and began running them back and forth across the material, waiting for the green light to keep going.

Trish began to lift her arms, signaling Randy to continue. He lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor before reaching around and unhooking her bra. He sucked in a short breath of air, taking in the beautiful sight in front of him.

She moved to slide out of her pants and he immediately stopped her hands from moving any further. She looked him in the eyes and understood instantly that he wanted to undress her.

He slowly moved into a kneeling position, trailing kisses down Trish's rock hard stomach before he gradually began to lower her yoga pants. She stepped out of them as soon as they hit the floor. Her heart was pounding inside of her. She could actually hear the steady rhythm of it above the running water even.

Randy ran his hands up her thighs before twisting his fingers into the sides of her underwear and pulled them down quickly. He stood immediately, removing himself from the tempting position he was in. She kicked her underwear to the side as Randy held her hands and stepped into the Jacuzzi tub pulling her lightly behind him. Within seconds, they were surrounded by the warmth of the water.

Trish turned off the water and set the jets to run on low. Randy relaxed back against the tub, pulling Trish between his legs, her back resting on his chest. He began tracing light kisses up and down her neck, starting behind her ear and traveling down to her shoulder. She inhaled deeply letting the lavender mint scent of the bath salts overwhelm her senses while her body responded to his every kiss.

They remained in that position for a few minutes, quietly enjoying the calming silence and the closeness of their bodies.

"Why don't you let me switch positions and I'll massage your shoulder for you?" He said nothing, but willingly obliged and slid around so that she could sit behind him.

She slowly began kneading her fingers into his shoulder. He moaned, "Ahh that feels amazing."

"You need to tell me where I need to be gentle." She warned, though it didn't take long for her to determine where the problem area was as he grimaced in pain as she ran her fingers over a spot. She removed her fingers immediately, waiting for his ok to continue.

He chuckled, "Right there…"

She placed her fingers back on him and began to massage again. "So, I'm assuming they told you you're getting the title back at Wrestlemania?"

He nodded and smiled. "Yeah, they told me tonight. I'm so excited. I feel like it's been forever since I've held the title."

"Well, you've definitely earned it." She paused before continuing. She wasn't sure if she should mention anymore about the storyline involving her. But, she never was one to keep secrets before…why should she start now? "Did they tell you about the storyline after Wrestlemania?"

He chuckled loudly, letting his head rest against her chest. "Yes, and how great is that?!"

"So you're excited about the plot with us?"

He turned to face her, "Yes, absolutely! I'll get to kiss a whole hell of a lot more!"

She laughed, "But do you think the plot works for your character?"

He shrugged, "They turned me into the biggest baby face and I didn't think that was possible. They're going after the sex appeal. That's basically it. Do I think it works from a plot development standpoint? No…but they'll figure that out and they'll either end the storyline or turn us heel. Because let's face it…we are pretty fucking sweet heels!"

Trish chuckled, "Yes, I would have to agree with you there. I can only hope that is where this leads! And you're right…we will get to kiss a lot more!"

He gave her a quick kiss before resting back on her. "Did you get everything figured out with Stephanie?"

Trish sighed, "Yes, she wanted to discuss the contract piece of the plot she just introduced. They are making the match like a money in the bank. I get a no-compete clause against Beth and Nattie, Lita gets a new WWE contract, and Nattie and Beth will fight over the first contender title match contracts."

"Is Amy going to take the contract and come back full time?"

"I don't know…I didn't get a chance to talk with her about it. Don't worry though; it's on my list for Wednesday. Right now, I want to focus on making you better."

He turned around and pulled her onto his lap, straddling her legs around his backside. "I know a way you can do that" as a twisted smile spread across his lips. He kissed her deeply, sucking in her bottom lip and lightly nibbling on it.

She sighed, breaking the kiss, she knew exactly where he was going with this. "Ok, third base…but that's it! Stop stealing bases!"


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Come on Amy! Push! Two more reps!" Trish yelled, watching Amy struggle through two more reps of her kettle bell workout.

Two reps later, Amy dropped the bell as her body as she collapsed to the floor, sucking in air. "Shit that was tough! But I loved it!" She sat up, taking a sip of water and wiping the sweat off her forehead with her forearm. Trish chuckled and sat down next to her. "It's a great feeling, isn't it?"

Amy nodded, "It really is. I don't think I've pushed myself this hard in a while."

A comfortable silence overcame them as they sat catching their breath.

"Are you going to take the contract?"

Trish looked at Amy, waiting for an answer. It wasn't her intent to persuade Amy one way or the other, but she did want to be there for her if she wanted to talk things through.

Amy shrugged, "I don't know honestly. But I will tell you, it's all I've thought about for the past two days."

Trish nodded and played with the shoe string on her sneaker. It took everything she had not to tell Amy she thought she should take the contract. But, she didn't want to be selfish…of course she wanted Amy to come back full time, but it was more for her benefit than it was for Amy's. She missed her and having her around the past 2 months has been great.

"Do you have a pros and cons list?"

Amy looked at Trish, a slight smirk pulling at her lips. "Yes, I do…what can I say? Your anal-like ways are rubbing off on me!"

Trish threw an elbow into her. "Not funny! So let's here them."

Amy sighed, "The pros…Phil, you, the fans, the rush." She paused for a minute as if contemplating before she spoke again. "The cons…the travel, the schedule, the effects on my body, reopening a chapter of my life that I thought I was finished with."

Trish nodded, thinking about everything she said. She made valid points…points that Trish would have to consider for herself not too far in the future.

"What would you do if you were me?"

Trish shrugged, "I'm not sure you can ask me that. I'm not you…you're not afraid to go home and live your life…"

"First off, you shouldn't be afraid to go home. And second, you'll be in the same boat I'm in come six months."

"I guess then I would look at the pros and cons and figure out what's more important. Do you want to continue to date Phil…if so, can you get over the travel and schedule? Are you willing to put your body on the line for the fans for another five years? Is the rush worth reopening this chapter?"

They both sat there, quietly thinking about what Trish had just said. Both of them realizing this decision could change the direction of their lives drastically.

"I found a loft in downtown Toronto that I'm thinking about buying." Trish blurted out. She had been looking at real estate in Toronto for about a month or so and finally had decided on what type of place she wanted.

Amy's eyes lit up, "That's great! When do you get to look at it?"

Trish shrugged, "I saw pictures of it online. I was thinking I'd just buy it. It's new…looks amazing…"

"But?"

"But I'm afraid to try to start my life over in Toronto. I'm over everything with Ron, but there are so many memories there…what if I reopen the flood gates that I worked so hard to close?"

Amy gave Trish a sympathetic look. "Trish, Toronto is your home. You have family there...friends, a business. I don't think you want to let all of that go just because you're afraid of seeing Ron. You're essentially living out of a suitcase and storage unit right now."

Trish played with the label on her water bottle. "I'm not afraid of seeing Ron."

Amy smiled, "Yes, you are. I know you…I'll tell you what. We have tomorrow and Friday off before you have to be in Seattle on Saturday. I'll fly to Toronto with you and let's go look at this loft. Besides, what are the chances that we'd even run into Ron?"

Trish smiled and crawled over to Amy, embracing her in a hug. "You're the best!"

Amy laughed, "I know," a thought crossing her mind, "Did you mention this to Randy yet?"

Trish shook her head, "No, not yet. I'll talk to him later tonight."

"You know he's going to want to come too…"

"I know, but he won't be able too…he has a radio interview here tomorrow morning and then an autograph signing in Detroit on Friday. I'm not sure I want him to come anyway…I was so dependent on Ron, I don't want to make the same mistake again with Randy."

* * *

><p>Randy watched Trish pick at her meal for the greater part of ten minutes. She seemed to have a lot on her mind and he waited anxiously. He knew something was bothering her, and she'd spit it out eventually. So until she was ready to, he sat there as patient as he could. "If you keep torturing your food like that, there wont' be anything left to actually eat."<p>

Trish looked up, her eyes wide; not realizing Randy was watching her this entire time. "I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind tonight."

Randy gave her a shy smile that made her heart melt. "What's bothering you?" He reached across the table, taking both of her hands in his.

"Well, I found a loft in Toronto that I'm interested in buying…considering I'm living out of suitcases and a storage locker."

Randy nodded slowly, "That's a good thing…right?" He couldn't understand what the problem was with buying a new place.

"No, it is…it's just I haven't been back to Toronto since…"

Randy instantly understood where she was going with this. "Since Christmas."

Trish nodded, "Exactly. I'm just nervous. I'm over everything with Ron…really, I am. I'm just scared going back to all those memories." She was worried how Randy was going to respond to her comment. She looked at him anxiously, her eyes probing his for a reaction.

He understood what she was going through. Granted, when he ended things with Sam, he found a new home in St. Louis right there and then, but only because he was injured and had no choice but to rehab at home. Trish didn't have that luxury at Christmas. She was back on the road all but three days later. She got closure from Ron, but not from her life with Ron.

"I could come with you…to Toronto? If you wanted to look at the place, that is…and if you wanted me too of course."

Trish smiled lightly, slightly afraid to tell Randy she already had a ticket bought and that Amy would be joining her. "Actually, since I don't have anything planned these next two days, I'm going to head back to Toronto tomorrow morning…and Amy is going to come with me."

A slight frown pulled at Randy's lips. "So I'm not going to see you for two whole days?"

She sweetly smiled at him, "No, but I'll see you Saturday in Oregon. The time will fly with all the media appearances you have."

He nodded slowly; he couldn't help but wonder if Trish didn't want him there for a reason. He believed that she was over Ron, but maybe she didn't want him there to witness her reaction if they would run into him.

"I wish I could be there to help you through this…"

She smiled, "I have to do this for myself. You've helped me through too many hard times this year. I need to prove to myself that I'm still as strong as I ever was."

He looked across the table at her and still could see worry in her eyes. "What else is bothering you?"

She sighed, "My financial situation has me worried."

He tilted his head to one side, a questioning face forming "Why?"

"I still owe Ron money for his investment into Stratusphere. I never found another investor, so I'm going to have to give him the money myself. And I have it…but it's really not financially sane to invest in this loft if I give him back the money."

His eyes lit up instantly, remembering the decision he made a few weeks back. "Trish, I've done a lot of thinking and I've decided that I want to invest in Stratusphere."

Trish's eyes grew wide, she was astonished. "No! Randy I can't ask you to do that!"

"You don't have to ask me! I want to do it!"

She shook her head, "No, I have an idea why you want to invest and I'm saying no."

He rolled his eyes, "Trish, you know I want you to be happy and if I can be the one to make you smile, you know I'm going to do it. But the main reason I want to invest is because I can see the profit in this business. I've invested in other companies before and I see your product and I know you want to expand into the United States at some point. Your studio is amazing and you're breaking into food sales and workout gear. You're practically a house hold name when it comes to fitness and yoga. Why wouldn't I try to get in on this?"

She chuckled, "Wow, you've really done your homework. How long have you been considering this?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled lightly. "For a while now…I thought about it when you had dinner with my parents, and then a few weeks ago when I overheard you talking to Ron…well, that was when I decided that I really wanted to do it. So please, let me."

She looked at him, deep in thought, as if she was truly considering his offer. She sighed, "What if things don't work out with us?"

He shrugged, "Then I'm invested in a business that my ex-girlfriend owns. I don't make any decisions on how your company is run. If I don't like the direction the company is headed, I get out."

She looked at him blankly. "You think it's as simple as that? If things end badly between us, you can keep emotion out of it and strictly think of it as business?"

He nodded, his eyes becoming more serious than she's ever seen them before. "Yes, I believe that I can."

She hesitated for a moment and sighed. "Ok, if this is what you want to do…then I'm in agreement."

He smiled triumphantly. "Yes, I want to do this. Now, can I see that beautiful smile of yours again?

She gave a nervous smile, "I hope you know what you're doing!"


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"And this is the third and last bedroom."

Trish checked out the closet while Amy looked at the view from the windows. "Trish, this place is amazing! You have to take it!"

Trish nodded, Amy was right. The loft was amazing. It was in the Harbor District, downtown Toronto. It was a modern loft, with high ceilings, completely updated with a large kitchen, 3 bedrooms, an office, 3 bathrooms, and a huge porch/balcony with a gorgeous view that overlooked the harbor. It screamed single but sophisticated.

"I'll take it." Trish said excitedly to the real estate agent. She glanced at Amy and threw a vibrant smile.

"That's great Trish! I'll head back to the agency and start the paperwork. It should be yours in about a month or so."

Trish frowned. She forgot how long it takes to close on a house. "This is going to sound odd, but since this place is vacant is there any way that I can lease it until all the paperwork goes through?"

The real estate agent gave a wary look and started to shake her head. "We don't normally do this type of agreement…"

"It's just, my job will have me traveling for the next few months and I'm honestly not sure I'll be able to get back up here until late Spring. I'll be in town for a day or two and I really wanted to empty out my storage container."

The real estate agent flashed a smile at Trish. Being a celebrity had its payoffs. "Let me contact the owner. Maybe I can work out some type of deal with him. I'll give you a call as soon as I get word."

Trish gave her a hug, "Thank you so much! It really means a lot!"

* * *

><p>"Holy shit! If we can move your stuff in tomorrow, I'll freak out! It's really true…money can buy almost anything!" Amy shook her head incredulously looking out the window of Trish's car.<p>

Trish chuckled. "I just hope we can…I really don't want to try and figure out when I'm going to have more than a day to get all my shit moved in."

Amy nodded, "Especially with the Wrestlemania schedule moving into full swing this week. We are seriously less than one month out!"

Trish smiled, keeping her eyes concentrated on the road. "I know…all the endless months of training for one night…a mere thirty minutes."

"Well, I for one am excited to see your family! It's been way too long!"

"It has…you better watch out! Big John isn't going to be easy to win over. He missed his fourth daughter! I think he's pissed you haven't been around lately!"

Amy laughed, "Well, I'll have to be sure I kiss ass to get back on John's good side!"

Both girls laughed as they pulled up to Trish's parents' house. Instantly, both of their smiles faded. "What's he doing here?"

Trish ran her hand through her hair. "Fuck me! I don't know."

Trish parked the car and looked at Amy.

"You can do this…"

Trish inhaled deeply and opened the car door. "Hi Dad…"

She walked up and gave her dad a hug before turning and looking at the individual she couldn't believe was standing outside her parents' house. "Hi Ron."

"Hi Trish." The tension between them was so thick; a plastic knife could cut through it with little to no effort.

"What brings you to my parent's house?"

She looked at Ron and then at her father, who coincidentally was looking at the ground. "I went fishing with your father. We've been trying to get together once a month."

Trish's eyebrows rose as she looked at her father in disbelief. "Is that right? Once a month, Dad? Hmm…you failed to mention that last I talked to you."

"Who the hell fishes in the middle of the winter?"

Ron rolled his eyes, "Hello Amy…"

"Hi Ron…I'd be lying if I'd say it's nice to see you."

"The feeling is mutual Amy…and have you ever heard of ice fishing? It's a pretty popular past time here in Canada…"

Amy rolled her eyes, "Yes, how easily could I forget? If you all will excuse me, I'm going to go inside."

She gave Trish a reassuring smile as she walked toward the house. "What kind of host would I be if I didn't help you with your bags?" John said, quickly finding his way out of the awkward conversation. He followed hurriedly behind Amy.

Trish watched them walk into the house, an annoyed expression written on her face.

"Don't be mad at your Dad. Fishing was my idea…I…"

"Why? Why are you doing this? You wanted out, I gave you an out. You can't keep walking back into my life whenever you feel like it!" Trish was furious. He wanted the divorce! He let her go and now that she was trying to move on with her life, he thinks he can waltz back in?

"Trish, I told you I made a mistake!"

"I don't care Ron! You divorced me! That means you divorced my family as well!"

"Trish, you know he's the closet thing to a father that I have!"

"Yeah, well you should have thought about that before you asked for a divorce!"

Their fight was cut short as Alice interrupted them from the front porch. "Will you two get inside before a neighbor calls the cops? You're making a scene out here! You would think you were still fifteen years old! Act like adults!"

Trish threw a dirty look at him before stomping into the house with Ron following quickly in tow. Why were her parents being so nice to him? They were supposed to be on her side!

"How was fishing today boys? Did you catch anything?" Alice brought them both cups of coffee as they sat down in the living room. She tried to change the subject, in hopes to keep the fighting from breaking out again.

"No, nothing today…we barely even got a bite!" Ron said, both of them chuckling.

Trish sat irritated on the couch, watching the three of them make small talk. Amy sat next to her, obviously uncomfortable. It's not like Amy to say absolutely nothing, and yet there she sat, muted. But what could she say? Trish didn't even know what to say in this situation. The whole thing felt surreal…like she was in the twilight zone or something. It was as if nothing had changed and they were still married.

"Trish, how was the loft? Did you like it?"

Trish snapped out of her daze to answer her mother. "Yes, I was very impressed. I'm going to take the place."

"A loft? I didn't think that was your style." Ron said, somewhat surprised to hear her new choice in a home.

She looked at him blankly. "Well, with all the traveling, I needed someplace that doesn't require much upkeep. And with the media appearances I do for Stratusphere, it just made sense to live downtown."

"Downtown? I thought you hated downtown?"

She shrugged, "Well, what can I say? People change." Her response was cold, oozing with attitude.

"How long do you think it'll take before you close on it? Was it the one in the Harbor District?" John asked, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Yeah, it's the one in the Harbor District. You should see the view from the balcony! It'll probably take somewhere around a month or so to close, but I'm trying to work out a deal where I could lease it now until all the paperwork goes through. If that works out for me, we could move my stuff in tomorrow."

Ron nodded slowly. "That's really great Trish." He sounded dejected, with an almost regretful tone.

She looked at him, hearing the hurt in his voice and her tone softened. "Thanks…it's a huge change, but a good one I think." She swallowed hard. It was a massive change. She knew that, but this was what she needed and what she wanted. If she was going to try and start her life again, it needed to be different from the previous life. Anything that she ever wished she could do, she was going to do…starting with her place of residence.

When she was younger, she always dreamt about living in the city. Let's face it; she was constantly in motion, hardly ever at rest…just like the city. It would be the perfect match for her. But when you're in a serious relationship, you don't want to stray from that individual. Ron hated the city…to this day, he still did. And because he hated the city, she stayed away from it. She stayed in the normal suburbs and tried to live a normal life. But that was part of the problem…she wasn't normal.

Nothing about her job was normal. Therefore, she would never have the normal life that most people dream of…you grow up, find a job, get married, have children. She had completed three of the four checks. And now, she was back down to two because she failed to realize that she didn't qualify as 'most people'. She didn't have the 9 to 5 job that most people had. She had the 310 days a year job that doesn't easily allow for the marriage and children check boxes.

"Ron, what are you doing for dinner tonight? Chris and Missy are coming over. Would you like to join us? There's going to be more than enough food."

Trish looked at her mother and sighed. Why were they continuing to torture her?

Ron glanced at Trish with an uncertain, yet heart breaking look on his face. "Oh, thanks Alice, but I don't want to be a bother."

Trish's lips formed a thin line and her heart started to pound uncontrollably in her chest. "No, you should come. It's no bother at all." She could have said no, pouted, and been a complete and utter bitch. But she didn't. She wanted to get over Ron. She wanted to get to the point where she could coexist in the same room with him without wanting to throw an object at his head. There was no reason they couldn't be friends. If her family was able to get past the divorce, well then she could too. Well, she could at least try to.

"Uh, ok then. I'll see you all later tonight? I need to get over to the office now to wrap up some work I fell behind on." He said, standing and heading towards the door. After giving Alice and John hugs, he left.

"I can't believe you invited him to dinner Mom!"

Amy chuckled, "Yeah, well I can't believe you backed her on that!"

Trish looked at Amy wide eyed, "What was I supposed to do? No one really gave me an option in this whole thing!"

"Oh now Trish, stop being so rude! He seems to be apologetic for the whole divorce. I don't see why we can't move past this."

"Mom, just because he's apologetic doesn't mean we should be welcoming him back into our lives! Besides, I'm the one who needs to make that decision…not any of you! And for the record, there's no way that is happening!"

"Trisha, I…"

Alice was interrupted as Trish's cell started to ring. The interruption couldn't have come at a better time…her mother only calls her 'Trisha' when she's about to get an earful. "Hello?"

'Hi Trish, I talked to the owner of the loft and I was able to work out a deal for you to lease the loft until the sale is final. We are drawing up the contract now and I'll need you to come to the office to sign and to give you the keys. The monthly lease price will be approximately the cost of one month's mortgage payment. And of course, the money you pay until the loft is officially yours will come off the total price of the loft.'

Trish smiled into the phone and gave Amy a thumbs up. "Thank you so much! I am on my way over right now!"

She hung up the phone and jumped up and down. "The loft is mine! They are going to let me lease it until all the paperwork is final! I have to go sign the contract now!"

She grabbed her purse and her keys quickly. "We'll finish this discussion later" looking at her parents with a disapproving look. "Come on Ames!"

* * *

><p>Amy leaned against the SUV after throwing another box in the back. She watched Trish speed pack as many boxes as she could and knew she was trying to keep busy so that she wouldn't be bothered by the Ron situation from earlier.<p>

"So why the change of heart?"

"I'm surprised it took you that long to ask." She looked at Amy, continuing to speed pack.

"Yeah well I thought you might need to calm down a little before I brought it up again."

Trish rolled her eyes, "I can't believe he's been visiting my parents. What nerve!"

Amy nodded, picking up another box. "Do you think they want you to get back together?"

Trish sighed, "I don't know…you think they wouldn't after they saw how bad he hurt me."

Amy smirked, "You're avoiding my first question…why did you tell him to come to dinner?"

Trish shrugged and dropped her shoulders in a defeated fashion. "He sounded so hurt, so sad, when he heard I was moving on…" She twisted her hands together nervously, all the while staring at them. "I guess I want to be able to be social with him. I want to get over him to the point where I'm not disgusted being in the same room with him."

Amy hesitated. "And it has nothing to do with missing him? Or any feelings that might still be hanging around for him?"

"I mean, a part of me will always love him. And I still care about him, but I'm not in love with him anymore.

Amy stared at her for a few minutes, looking for any uncertainty in her answer. "Are you sure?"

Trish looked at Amy long and firm. She swallowed hard and lowered her head, staring at the ground. She glanced up seconds later with tears in her eyes. "No…"


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"I mean, I don't know…maybe?"

Amy gave Trish a blank look.

"Stop judging me! I'm just confused!"

"Trish, I'm not judging you. But, you're my best friend. You're like the sister I never had. So I would like to think that I know you better than most people. When you and Ron were together, I saw the way you were. You were always so reserved, so safe. I guess what I'm trying to say is…you acted how Ron expected you to act. In a round about way, you let him dictate your life. And you never seemed truly happy. Now I see you with Randy and you're a completely different person. You do what you want to do and when you want to do it. I see your face light up every time you see him or any time his name is mentioned in a sentence. And you've laughed more in the past five months than you have in the past five years."

Trish smiled as she thought about Randy. Amy was right; her relationship with Ron was totally different than her relationship with Randy. Randy was so easy-going, caring and easy to talk to. He was actually interested in the things going on in Trish's life, even if they had nothing to do with him. The physical attraction between them was off the charts, not to mention the little shows of affection he would give her…a little kiss out of nowhere, holding her hand in public, cuddling in bed.

"This is going to sound stupid…and vey conceded. But, when I was with Ron, I was never afraid that he would be unfaithful to me. I was a model hanging in gyms all across Canada. The way he looked at me, he held me on an extremely high pedestal. He couldn't understand what a girl like me saw in a guy like him. He always had the fear that I would leave him once I came to my senses. He never saw how much I truly loved him. Looks are important to me, but what's on the inside is what matters to me most."

Amy tilted her head to the side before shaking it, trying to make sense of what Trish was saying. "What's on the inside? Trish, Ron treated you like shit! He could care of less about anything that interested you. He hated your friends, your job…everything that made you who you are."

"Maybe now, yes. He hates all those things because he had to compete with all of them and he felt like he lost. I'm not trying to defend him…just, listen. The way Ron looks at me is the way I look at Randy. Randy is the ultimate…he's the grand prize. He's this gorgeous man with a godlike body. He oozes sex and turns the eyes of every woman he passes. He's sweet, passionate, caring and somehow amazingly interested in me….and he comes with a dangerous past. A past where he womanized so many women…what if I can't satisfy him and he goes back to his old ways? I mean, he almost fell back into them after he learned about Alanna…"

Amy smiled sincerely at Trish. "I love how you have no idea how beautiful and sexy you really are. The way you described Randy is exactly the way men look at you. And more importantly, it's the way he looks at you. I can't believe you don't see how much he cares about you! Trish, you always run a risk at getting hurt when you start a new relationship. But you can't go back to being in a safe relationship with someone that you're not happy with and not in love with. Randy may be a risky choice, but you are so happy with him…take the risk!"

* * *

><p>"Dinner was great Alice. Thank you again for the invite."<p>

Trish gave Ron a blank look as she rose from the table and started clearing the plates. Dinner went rather smoothly for the dirty looks Ron received from Chris, Missy, and Amy. She smiled to herself as she placed the plates in the dish washer. She didn't have to ask Chris and Missy how they felt about Ron, their expressions gave them away. It was nice that they still sided with her as well. At least half of her family still saw how badly Ron hurt her.

She felt a slight tug at her heart though. Even though Ron knew he wasn't welcomed by any of Trish's sisters, he still kept his cool in an extremely uncomfortable situation. She let her mind roam back to her conversation earlier that day with Amy. Did she still have feelings for Ron? It was a simple question yet, she couldn't find an answer. _Why is it so freaking hot in here? I need some air._

She quickly snuck out the back door and sat on the porch steps. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, thinking back to New Years Eve. Even though that night had ended terribly, sitting outside with Randy in the cold was such a memorable night for her. She wrapped her arms tighter as a breeze blew by. _I wish he was here with me right now…_

She picked up her phone, about to dial Randy when heard footsteps behind her. "Care if I join you?"

She inhaled deeply, "Nope, not at all."

Ron sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her. "You're freezing. You shouldn't be out here without a coat."

She smiled and shrugged, "I was hot…I think the wine was getting to me."

"Is that all that's bothering you?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Honestly, no…I'm in the god damn twilight zone. I'm trying to move on with my life…trying to break free and run towards the possibility of something new and you're hanging onto the back of my leg, preventing me from moving. It's exhausting."

"Did you ever think we were meant to be together? That, no matter what tears us apart, we'd always find a way back to each other?"

She looked at him, her eyes showing the heartache she felt in her heart. "I used to think that…for so many years. We were together for so long, I thought we were destined to be. Even when I went back to work in October I thought everything would work itself out. And then you walked away and gave up on me."

She closed her eyes, willing back the tears. Thinking about how he gave up on her still rocked her to the core. He pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot and I made the biggest mistake of my life. Please, let's put all this behind us and move forward. Please come back to me. I think about you all the time…"

She listened to his words, but stopped at his last sentence. She had an epiphany at that moment and everything became so clear. 'I – think – about – you – all – the – time.' _But I don't think about you all the time. For the past six months, I've thought more about Randy than I have you._ She sucked in a huge breath of air when she realized what was staring her in the face.

"Trish, I love you. I always have, I always will." He placed his hands on her cheeks and wiped away the tears in her eyes before slowing moving his lips toward hers. He was going to kiss her. She swallowed hard and licked her lips. Both her mind and body didn't want to kiss him. With his lips but a breath away she whispered. "I'm seeing someone."

He pulled back immediately, shock illustrated on his face. "So soon? We've been divorced for less than two months."

"We've only been officially divorced for two months…but you walked out on me back in December. Remember?"

"Wow, you wasted no time at all did you? You were probably cheating on me this whole time!"

She stood up quickly, burned by his last comment. "You really haven't changed one bit. No, asshole! I never cheated on you! I'm not like that! You of all people should know me well enough to know I could never do that to you!"

He started crying and for a brief moment, she felt bad for him, but stood her ground. There was no way she was going to let him accuse her of adultery!

He cleared his throat and wiped his tears on his sleeve. "Does he make you happy?"

She smiled lightly thinking about Randy. "Yes, he really does."

He nodded and inhaled sharply. "Good…you deserve to be happy. I'm sorry I couldn't be the one to give you that."

She pulled him into a hug. "For a long time you did. But things change, people change. And we are different people now than we were back then. I hope nothing but the best for you and can only hope you will find someone that makes you as happy as I am."

He paused for a long moment before continuing. "Do I know him?"

She hesitated long before answering. If the situation were reversed, she would be devastated if she knew who he moved on with. And with it being Randy, well, that would make it ten times worse, especially if Ron would get a good look at him. "No, you don't know him."

It wouldn't take much for Ron to learn the truth…Randy and Trish were plastered all over the wrestling rumor websites. But she took the risk…Ron never was one to surf the web.


	33. Chapter 33

Hi everyone! It's been forever! I know, and I'm SO SORRY to make you wait! But...good things come to those who wait!

I do not own any of the characters, WWE owns them all. And I don't own the song. It is a John Hiatt song.

Beware - this chapter contains adult content!

Chapter 33

Upon Trish and Amy's return from Toronto, the next two weeks flew by. The Road to Wrestlemania Tour was in full effect and practically the entire WWE roster was required to be at both RAW and Smackdown events, as well as most House shows. The tour had taken them from the West Coast, over to the East Coast and everywhere in between. The girls were busy putting the final touches on their match and when they weren't practicing, they were doing promotional appearances and interviews.

Now that Ron was completely out of the picture, Trish had relaxed more into her relationship with Randy. Things were progressing at a steady rate, though the physical side of the relationship was touchy. Trish held her ground on her third base ruling, though Randy made endless attempts at home runs. Saying 'no' to him was not an easy task though. Every attempt he made, Trish came closer to giving in.

"Trish, you need to stop teasing him. Have I mentioned I have a sixth sense in reading sexually frustrated men? And I hate to say it, but Randy is definitely sexually frustrated."

Trish looked up at Amy with an irritated face. "He is not sexually frustrated. He understands why I'm hesitant to take things further. I want to move slowly."

"Yeah, except you're not moving slowly, you're moving at archaic speeds. And why are you hesitant to move things along? I thought your life has more or less stabilized. Ron is completely out of the picture, you've determined you're over him, Sam is no longer an issue…why not move things along? What's the deal?"

"Amy, you know I like to take things slowly. Look how long I dated Ron before I decided to marry him. And you see how well that worked out."

"Yeah, it took you ten plus years to decide you wanted to marry him, and it took less than five months for you to divorce him. Just because you date someone forever, doesn't mean they are more or less right for you if you would have dated them for only one year. And besides, I'm not saying you need to marry Randy…I'm just saying have sex with him!"

"What if all he's looking for is sex? And once he get's it, he leaves me high and dry?"

Amy groaned and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, a man that only wants sex will even go as far as to invest a shit load of money in the stock of your company?"

Trish bit her lip and looked at Amy. "Ok, point taken…maybe you're right. Maybe it's time."

3 3 3

Trish stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. It was exactly one week until Wrestlemania. They were in the process of wrapping up the last house show in Biloxi, Mississippi and it was onto Atlanta first thing tomorrow morning for the last and final RAW Supershow before Wrestlemania.

Trish rotated her arm, surprised by how little her body ached. Perhaps all the practicing had trained her body for what was to come. She dressed quickly, opting for a cute sundress. Though it was March, Mississippi was going threw a welcomed heat surge this week. She began applying her makeup when she heard a knock at the door.

She turned as the door peeked open to reveal Randy's face. "Hey, I'm just about finished. Are you ready?"

He walked in and smiled, smelling of a fresh shower scent. "Yes, I'm all packed up and ready to go. But I was thinking…"

He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back flush against his chest before placing kisses on her neck. "You remember my thing with beaches right?"

She chuckled and closed her eyes, savoring each and every one of his kisses. "I do…but don't you think we should get on the road. Atlanta is about a six hour drive."

"No, I think we should grab a hotel and leave first thing tomorrow morning. And, I think the hotel we grab should be on the beach."

"Randy, you'll be at a hotel on a beach in Miami in two days."

He spun her around and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulled her lips into a smoldering kiss. "Yeah, but we'll have interviews and appearances…you know that week will be nuts. We won't even get to see the beach, which is why we should stay tonight, on this beach." He kissed her in between his sentences, trying his hardest to tempt her to stay.

"Your persuasion skills are out of this world." She laughed and looked at the goofy grin plastered on his face. "Ok, let's stay. I assume you already have reservations?"

"Of course!"

3 3 3

Randy held Trish's hand as they walked down the beach. It was just shortly after midnight, but the welcomed warm weather had brought many people down to the beach regardless of the hour. Many of the beach bars had music streaming from them, packed full with patrons laughing and having a great time. Trish was silent for most of the walk, trying to unwind and take in the scenery, but mostly enjoying her time alone with Randy.

Things had been so hectic schedule-wise for the past few weeks, half the time she didn't know if she was coming or going. Randy had been quiet the entire walk as well. She assumed he was unwinding too, from all the interviews and autograph signings he was rushed to. Being in a huge match at Wrestlemania brought on more attention than anyone could handle. Thank God it was only a week away.

"So when do I get to see this new loft of yours? From what you described, it sounds amazing."

Trish glanced up to Randy as a smile slowly spread across her lips. She wanted him to see it so badly. She also wanted him to get to spend time with her family. They absolutely adored him since Christmas and the Ron tragedy. "Well, I was thinking…two weeks after Wrestlemania, the week of the 15th. After Smackdown that Tuesday, we have that entire week off. There are no house shows. So, would you maybe want to make a trip up to Toronto with me then?"

Randy lit up from her suggestion and stopped walking. He pulled her flat against his chest and cupped her face before placing a soft kiss on her lips. "I would love to." He whispered, before giving her a hug. Trish buried her head in chest and inhaled. He smelled amazing, as he always did…laundry detergent and his natural scent that she wished she could bottle and spray all over everything she owned.

A slow song broke out from a live band playing at the bar they happened to be standing in front of. "Dance with me." It wasn't in the form of a question, but a simple demand that she had no problem fulfilling for him. She nodded and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. He started moving with her and everyone and everything around them disappeared.

_Down here the river meets the sea  
>In the sticky heat I feel you open up to me<br>Love comes outta nowhere baby  
>Just like a hurricane<br>And it feels like rain_

He slowly started running his hands up and down her back, pulling her even closer to him. She looked up at him and smiled, admiring how smoldering he was and that she was somehow blessed enough to be with him. He smiled down at her, his eyes slightly closed off and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

_Lying underneath the stars  
>Right next to you<br>I'm wonderin' who you are  
>And how do you do<br>How do you do baby?_

The clouds roll in  
>Across the moon<br>The wind howls out your name  
>And it feels like rain<br>And it feels like rain  
>Baby can ya feel it?<p>

Trish ran her hands through his short hair. Letting her nails glide along as if they were a brush. She felt a slight poke at her stomach and felt her heart rate increase. She licked her lips before pulling Randy into a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her tigher, pulling her into his mouth even more. The want and desire pouring from him. In the past, this was the point where Trish would put on the brakes, but not tonight. She had decided she had tortured both of their bodies enough. Tonight was the night.

_So batten down the hatches baby  
>But leave your heart out on your sleeve<br>Looks like we're in for stormy weather  
>But that ain't no cause for us to leave<br>Just lie here in my arms  
>Let it wash away the pain<br>And it feels like rain  
>Feels like rain<em>

Their kisses became more heated, their tongues dancing, feeling, exploring, and caressing each others. Randy now had his hand on her ass, pulling her flush against his throbbing erection. She was seconds from letting him take her right there, but Randy was not about to let that happen again. The first time had been almost in the streets of St. Louis, but not this time. He was going to do it right this time. "Hey, hey" he said, slowing Trish's roaming hands down.

She looked at him with wide eyes. "Let's go back to our room." She chuckled and nodded quickly before both of them began making their way back to the hotel. Within seconds they were at the hotel and even quicker, in their room. As soon as the door closed, they were all over each other. Their kisses were passionate and rough, yet soft and perfect, like they couldn't get enough of each other.

Randy lifted Trish up and carried her to the bed. He wasted little time I removing Trish's dress and discarding it on the floor. He trailed kisses all over Trish's body, starting with her legs, then moving up to her waist, up her ribcage, to her cleavage until he reached her neck.

Every kiss set a small fire ablaze inside Trish. She didn't realize just how bad she wanted this as much as he did. He unhooked her bra, allowing her swollen breasts freedom from their tight constraints. His mouth covered her nipple and began sucking and biting wildly. Trish evoked a moan in response to the pleasure coursing through her veins.

He continued kissing back down her ribcage to her waist. He pulled her underwear off before sinking his head between her legs. His tongue began to slowly massage her nub and it was the undoing of Trish. This was the first time she received oral from Randy and his tongue knew all the right places to hit and when to hit them. He inserted two fingers inside her already hot wet core and it was enough to push Trish over the edge. One more pump from Randy's hand had Trish spiraling out of control towards her first orgasm of the night.

"Randy!" She cried out his name right before erupted in the largest orgasm she'd ever received. Her whole body tingled with pleasure and he continued his assault between her legs until the wave of ecstasy she had ridden was over. He slowly made his way back up her body and began kissing her. She could taste herself on his mouth and it made her even headier than she already was. She then noticed Randy was still completely clothed. "We need to do something about this."

She quickly pulled his shirt over his head and began unbuckling his pants. As soon as she had them off, she moved to his boxer briefs and pulled them down. As she started to move her lips toward the head of his cock, he stopped her. "Not tonight. I just want to feel myself inside of you. I can't wait any longer."

Her insides heated up and she felt her already moist core grow damper with desire. He moved between her and slowly began to enter her. She gasped as his head slid in further, expanding to accept all of him. As she grew impatient in how slow he entered her, she reached around and grabbed his ass, pulling him completely into her. He let out a throaty moan. "Baby girl, you're going to kill me. I want this to last more than a minute you know."

She chuckled, "I'm sorry, but I'm unraveling at the seams here." He nodded, "I can see that…and you have no idea what a turn on it is." He slowly started pumping in and out, setting a pace that was controlled. He felt amazing inside of Trish and she instinctly wrapped her legs around Randy, pulling him even deeper. Her actions set him over the edge as he began to pump quicker and harder than before. They simultaneously began to climb the mountain to their climax. Randy reached down and began to rub Trish's clit while continuing to pump in and out of her.

He could feel she was close by the way her body was bucking wildly beneath his. He felt her walls contract around him and watched as her eyes rolled back into her head in another earth shattering explosion. Watching her climax was enough to put him over the edge. He thrust one last time, pushing as far into her as he could and spilled out every last bit of pent up frustration he had into her. She watched as his eyes glossed over and felt his body shaking. She felt his hot liquid inside of her as he collapsed on top of her. He kissed her passionately and threaded his fingers through hers. "That was amazing… .Amazing."

She giggled before kissing him. "No, you are amazing Randy…everything about you." He pulled out of her and turned them on their sides into the spooning position she loved. She pulled up the disheveled covers around them and relaxed back into him. She was exhausted and slowly starting to fall asleep. "You better set an alarm or neither of us will get up." He could tell she was tired with her groggy reminder. He flicked off the light and set the alarm.

"What time do you want up?" When she didn't respond he called her name lightly. "Trish?" He knew at that point she was sound asleep. "I guess 6 AM will be good enough." He put his phone back on the table and snuggled into his sleeping angel.

Trish's eyes were heavy as she started to slowly drift to sleep. She thought she heard Randy ask her something but she was too fatigued to answer. She could feel him trailing his fingers up and down her arm, slowly lulling her into a deeper sleep. He watched her sleep in the moonlight for a few seconds before sighing heavily.

"Goodnight baby girl. I love you."

Trish's eyes flew open immediately.

_What?! _


End file.
